


Feral Family Affairs

by CanuckleheadCowgirl



Series: The 906 Universe [3]
Category: Avengers (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-09-15 11:22:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 121,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16932345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanuckleheadCowgirl/pseuds/CanuckleheadCowgirl
Summary: Part Three of the 906- a continuation of 'Surprise for a Feral' and 'Natural Feral Behaviors'. NOT a stand alone. Please read the other two to catch up.The dream goes on as the little feral family tries to find their place in the world, battling old foes and new problems as they crop up. The X-Mansion has always been a family, and now - the couples are growing into little families of their own. So much is going on! But sooner or later, their pasts have always caught up to them. And it's always enough to interfere with their futures.





	1. About Damned Time

 

It took a tiny bit longer for K and the twins to get the okay to get out of the lab since James had had such a hard time getting  _started_. But … eventually, the little family made their way up to the dining room to introduce little James and Rose to the  _extended_ family. Of course, when they got there, Jean had been sure to allow someone else to hold Rachel simply so she could more easily make herself available to hold one of the newborns.

But … to Jean's utter surprise, Logan walked past her - only barely edging her out of the way to hand James to Scott. From where she was sitting, she could barely appreciate the look of perfect shock on Scott's face as he smiled down at James in pure disbelief before K carefully slipped Rose into her arms. "Thought you'd want a moment before we disappear with Abbey," K said to Scott, who could only smile wider as he nodded his head - already well beyond words.

"Kurt's been bragging that he gets  _two_ , but Abbey's going to be an amazing big sister," Scott said as he grinned at the little boy. "She can't wait to spend some time with them."

"And Jeannie-" Logan started to say, but she cut him off before he could get there.

"So … does that count as the legal choices too?" Jean asked with a not-at-all convincing innocent expression.

"Maybe," Logan said. "Pretty sure it's a requirement for 'em to have a pretty redhead on deck and ready to go."

"Oh? Heather then?" Scott teased, which got a gasp from Jean just before Scott broke down laughing to himself.

"No," Logan replied, shaking his head. "Natasha's still the pick there. You two get the second slot if she can't handle it."

Both Jean and Scott looked up - more than a little surprised at the choice. "I didn't realize that she was the family type," Jean said before she glanced down at the sleeping little girl in her arms and shifted to a slightly more protective hold on her.

"Shouldn't have to be," K added. "We're a little harder to kill than the average bear, so …"

"Yeah, we know. You're hoping it's not the case. We're just going to make sure it's not the case," Scott said, still smirking since James wasn't anywhere near as sleepy as Rose was and he was staring up at Scott with an open expression that only newborns are capable of.

"That's the general idea, yeah," Logan agreed.

"Like we'd let them be separated anyhow," Jean scoffed as Rose let out a yawn that seemed far too big for her tiny body. "Are you  _sure_ …."

"Jeannie, we haven't got anything legal made up. If we were to croak tomorrow, that'd leave you with all three of our little ones- and every one of 'em are probably gonna be like  _me_. I'm not doing that to anyone," Logan deadpanned - though he stopped cold when Scott spoke up.

"I wouldn't mind," Scott said, mostly to James as he smiled down at that little guy. "They're not trouble when they're this little."

Logan stared at him for a moment but K cut in to stop the shock factor. "Okay. That's enough for you. If you want a son, you're going to have to get to work on it yourself."

"I'm just saying hello," Scott defended - still smiling as he watched little James. "He's just so little …"

"Yeah. Wonder where he gets that from," K said as Scott barely held back a laugh and then very gently handed him back to K.

"I'll be next to you at the wedding," Jean promised K as she handed Rose back to Logan. "We'll take the twins so you can do your last minute thing with Kitty, okay?"

"Like Charles isn't dying to hold one," K replied as the little family headed off to retrieve Abbey from Kurt. As it turned out, the two of them were having a proper tea party - if you counted swinging from ropes wearing tricots proper tea party behavior.

"If you're busy, we can come back," Logan called out.

But that only had Kurt teleporting over with Abbey holding tight around his neck and giggling madly. " _Nein_ , we've looted all we can," he said as he gave the little girl a kiss then set her on the ground with his tail. He rested one hand over his stomach. "She is quite the looter of chocolate chips,  _mein Freund_."

"She learned that from your bad influence," Logan told him as Abbey hugged her father's leg and Kurt slipped over to pull the blanket back to look at James more clearly.

"Ah. My  _namesake_ ," Kurt said in a rich, deep tone before she scooped him up and crouched down for Abbey to say hello.

Abbey peeked over, still holding tight to Logan's leg, though when James blinked at her a few times and started to squirm and stretch, she covered her mouth with one hand and started giggling.

"Oh yes, I think he's a keeper, don't you,  _schatzi_?" Kurt asked Abbey.

"Uh-huh," she said then leaned over to very gently kiss James' forehead.

"Come on now,  _flicka_ ," K said in an almost sing-song tone. "You can learn to buckle swashes tomorrow."

Abbey grinned then leaned over to kiss Kurt on the cheek. " _Auf wiedersehen_."

Kurt handed James back to K with a proud grin and Abbey attached herself once again to her father's leg, leaving Kurt smiling after his best friend with his little girls in tow.

* * *

Time seemed to pass faster when half the mansion of better was rushing and buzzing to make the final arrangements for the upcoming wedding.

Everyone was well aware of the  _nerves_ that were flying around, and the overall concern that … even after the years of dating … maybe they were rushing into it for the near-anxiety attack Kitty was having as the date crept closer.

But … any time anyone tried to breach the subject with Kitty, the response was always the same - anger, denial, and accusations that made it clear that come hell or high water, Kitty was determined to see this through.

* * *

The little brunette was pinning her hair up, little curls cascading over her shoulders, her makeup already pristine, accentuating her eyes with a little gold that drew attention to her deep brown eyes. It had felt like a lifetime since she'd done this … but she had to admit, it was still a good look.

"You just about ready, darlin'?" Logan growled out before resting his hands on her arms and leaning in to kiss her neck, unable to stop himself as he worked his way slowly and purposefully up to her ear, to give her a little nip as she rested her hand over his.

"I can be late. You can't," she said giving him a squeeze right back.

"Like hell. I'm not goin' without you," he told her, finally standing upright with his hands on his wife's bare shoulders. She smiled at his reflection but didn't respond right away. It had been a long couple of months and he'd gently pushed her from the moment the twins were born to pull herself together, knowing that depression and K was not a good mix, and honestly worried that she'd slip too far with the pressure of twins. She was nearly back to herself, too. Though her biggest complaint was that she had to eat like a horse all the time to keep her weight up while breastfeeding the twins.

The two ferals had almost an hour to get to the other side of the property where Kitty and Piotr were finally, after years of tiptoeing around each other, FINALLY getting married. But … that still meant they had an hour.

K swiveled in her seat, rising up to face him as he smiled back at her, not stepping back from her as she invaded his space. But apparently, that on its own was enough for K to narrow her eyes at him and reach out to poke him in the chest. Not that it bothered him in the least.

"You, mister, will have to wait until after the ceremony before you even dream of starting up any monkey business. You have to make sure that you get your dance with her," she told him as he pulled her close, already half ignoring her hard line as he started up with little kisses. "I'm serious, Logan. You have to wait." She was grinning at him - though he didn't see it.

"Fine. But we're gonna have to get a break from all this busy time," he growled, his hand still headed toward a no-fly zone until she grabbed his wrist and met his gaze with a growl.

"Just because I'm getting back to speed does  _not_ mean you can just rush in for a quickie every time you feel like it," she warned. Which at least had Logan shifting gears quickly.

"You sayin' you don't wanna" he countered low, but that only had K honestly pausing as he leaned into her, backing her across the room one step at a time. It was honestly a trick question. And she knew it.

"Not … you can't just … we have somewhere to be," she finished staring at his mouth as she hit the wall and he pushed against her for a long,  _very_ involved kiss that was a bit too easy to get lost in. Luckily though, just as her resolve was starting to honestly melt, Jubilee's voice rang through the boathouse, which had Logan breaking the kiss as he stayed close.

"We're pickin' up on this later," he warned, though he couldn't stop the smile when K's only response was to nod wordlessly as they stayed where they were and Jubilee made her way to their door.

"Good god, you two. Am I going to need to get the hose on you?" Jubilee griped, hands on her hips.

"Yeah. Make it more interestin'," Logan growled before taking K's hand and dragging her behind him past a rather irked looking firecracker.

" _Jeez_ , you two. The guys have the twins and Jean is almost done with Abbey's hair. Are you  _sure_ Abbey is going to be able to do the flowers on her own?" Jubilee asked K as they rushed up to the mansion.

K nodded with a sigh, already checking her hair and lipstick. "She'll have Charles to help her focus if she needs to. It will be fine."

When they got up to the mansion, they made their way to Charles' office where the men were gathered, passing the twins and Rachel around, seeing as the women were all very preoccupied with finishing up the preparations on the bride.

Scott was cuddling with little James, Kurt had Rose, and Piotr had Rachel - and both twins were fast asleep. Rachel, however was staring at Piotr without blinking - almost as if she was trying to have an honest to God staring contest with him.

"Are you sure you guys are alright with the little ones for a bit longer?" K asked, but the question had Charles grinning at her.

"Of course, the only problem is everyone wants to hold them," Charles told her as Logan took James from Scott. K smiled and winked at the group of them before running upstairs where the women were doing their final preparations for the wedding. They  _all_ looked stunning, of course. Kitty's hair was pulled up, accentuating her long graceful neck. Kitty's mother was in tears as her daughter was finally ready to go. K smiled when she saw her, and made sure to be careful when she gave her a hug.

"Congratulations, Katherine. You're positively stunning," K promised quietly. Kitty couldn't help but give K a once over as they stepped apart and Abbey toddled over to her mother looking like a little princess. K crouched down to Abbey's level to nuzzle her before the ceremony and give her a little kiss that had her giggling.

"I'm telling you, K – it's like you didn't even have the twins. That's not fair to the rest of us," Kitty teased, grinning at her and knowing full well how uncomfortable K was when people talked about her figure.

"And on  _that_ note, I'm headed back downstairs," K said, giving Kitty a playful sort of glare. "You be good for Auntie Jeannie and Kitten, OK?" she said to Abbey. Of course, Abbey simply grinned up at her mother in response before she pulled at her hand until K crouched down again where Abbey could give her mother a little kiss. Just then, Logan knocked on the door – it was painfully obvious that Jean had sent for him to come get Kitty.

"You girls set to go?" Logan asked, stopping in his tracks when he saw Kitty. "Punkin' – you look perfect. Too damn good for Petey." Kitty grinned and blushed brightly at that as Logan stole a kiss from K when they passed each other. "You know I gotta say it."

"You don't  _have to_ ," Kitty said, and though the other team members in attendance knew exactly what he was doing, Kitty's mother looked a little nervous as Logan approached her only child.

"Yes I do," Logan said. "You don't have to marry him if you're having second thoughts. I don't give a damn if the Queen of England's out there waiting. No pressure."

Kitty let out an exasperated sigh and her mother smiled crookedly as Kitty stepped closer to Logan. "And I told you - I'm on board. We've been together forever. It's all I've wanted for as long as I can remember!"

"As long as it's for you," Logan said before he kissed her cheek, and a moment later, she threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Meanwhile, K caught up with the men and she walked with Charles to the side yard nearest the forest. The trees were to serve as a backdrop, their leaves in perfect full color. They took a seat in the front row on the bride's side, each of them holding one of the twins. K had taken the time to feed and change them before the ceremony and both were awake for now, smiling at whoever held them.

The ceremony itself was lovely, Kitty even cried a little, holding on to Logan's arm like a lifeline before he handed her to Piotr. She whispered something to him before she gave him a kiss right next to his mouth before he stepped back and took his seat between Kitty's mother and K, taking K's free hand in his and leaning to her to give her a kiss. Kitty's mother kept her composure for most of the ceremony, though that went out the window as she let out the first whoop when Kurt declared them as one before the new Mr. and Mrs. Rasputin kissed for the first time as a married couple. The crowd of X-Men, Avengers, Excalibur, and even some of Magneto's Acolytes were all giving their blessings as the couple was presented at last.

The reception was huge, people that couldn't make the wedding found time to come and wish the couple well. Kitty was slightly starstruck when Thor asked her for a dance, but that only had Logan snickering to himself more. K and Logan themselves stayed as long as they could, but the little ones were ultimately dictating when it was time for them to call it a night. Abbey got overly tired and overly stimulated from oh, so many people around her, an before it was over, she wanted only her father. She climbed into his lap, half asleep already as she nuzzled into his neck.

Kitty rushed over before they could slip away, though, sure to kiss both of them before they could leave. Storm and Kurt gathered up the twins to carry down for K – especially since Kitty needed a word before K left.

"Are you sure we can use the cottage?" Kitty asked as K gave her a hug, digging in her clutch one handed as Piotr came over to the two women.

"Of course. You can use it whenever you want. Here, I got a copy of the key made for you. You can go anytime," K told her as she handed the key over and hugged her all the more tightly.

Until of course, K stiffened up suddenly, and Kitty did the same, neither letting go. "Please don't speak," Kitty whispered.

" _Katherine Anne_ ," K said, sounding honestly scandalized. When the two of them broke apart from their hug, K's eyes wide as she put an arms worth of distance between them. Her lips parted as she stared at Kitty, and Kitty cracked first.

"Do you mind, Pete?" Kitty said - wide-eyed as K kept  _staring_ at her.

"Of course,  _katya_ ," Piotr replied in a thick, low rumble before he stepped away - though it was clear he was reluctant to leave Kitty when K was acting so very out of character.

The moment he stepped even partly away, Kitty rushed K to a quiet corner. "OK. OK. I know. I just found out last week. No one knows. I even went heavy on the perfume so Logan wouldn't catch it," Kitty said in a rush. "I'm going to tell Piotr right after the honeymoon, I  _swear_."

K let the shocked look melt quickly then leaned in to give Kitty a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations, Kitty. Really. I want to be there when you tell Logan."

"Oh, man," Kitty giggled before the two women took a moment to say their goodbyes before K rushed down to the boathouse. On her way, she passed Storm and Kurt on their way back up - arm in arm and sharing a drink together.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, was it not?" Kurt sang out, one arm outstretched as Storm smiled widely.

"The minister stole the show," K promised, which of course got her a quick spinning hug and a kiss on the cheek from Kurt before Storm redirected him down the path they'd been taking.

"He always does," Storm responded, chuckling to herself at Kurt's fine mood.

K smiled to herself but finished rushing to the boathouse, and when she got inside, it was clear that she'd been gone just a bit too long. Rose was crying a sad, hungry sort of cry as her father kissed her and cuddled her. Which was exactly what K needed to see to kick it into overdrive.

She slipped out of her shoes, kicking them across the room before she took the baby from Logan. In a smooth move, she turned her back to him in a silent request to unzip her - which he did without any further prompting. She shimmied out of the dress on her way to the bedroom, taking the little one somewhere more comfortable to feed her. And of course, just about the time she'd gotten Rose taken care of, James needed his turn. When they were both fed and changed, the twins passed out. Logan had taken the time that K ha the twins to read a little story to Abbey and get her tucked in, and by the time the three of them were all fed and changed - well … Lots of excitement and full tummies made for tired children.

As soon as James was asleep safely in his crib, K began to pull the pins from her hair as she made her way to the bathroom, not surprised at all when Logan stepped into the shower with her, with a wicked grin on his lips.

* * *

It was a rare morning a few days after Kitty's wedding that Logan caught K by surprise. She'd just gotten done feeding the twins, Logan had fixed up Abbey with her breakfast, who then went on to play with her toys when Logan snatched up K around the waist, and hauled her over to their bed.

"You're really not gonna say anything are ya?" he growled in her ear as he nipped at her.

"About what?" she replied, smiling up at him for his sudden case of manhandling.

"How far along is she?" he asked, his growl starting to fade.

"Oh." K blinked up at him. "I don't know. She hasn't told Pete yet, so you better act surprised when she tells you too, or she'll think I told you."

"Did she really think I'd miss it?" he said, his face scrunched up.

"No. She was hoping you'd miss it. That's why she was wearing so much perfume." He considered her answer and with a growl, instead started to kiss her. "Logan. Hey! Are you gonna play along?" He started to unbutton her shirt as she tried to wiggle out from under him, half laughing at his resistance to answering her. "Hey!"

"I'll play along," he growled.

She started to laugh as she began to kiss him back. "Abbey's awake and playing alone. How about I owe you one?"

He grumbled to himself and rolled over, pulling her with so she was looking down at him. "Fine. When does she get back?" he asked as K readjusted her position.

"She's at the cottage. She'll come back when she's ready."

* * *

Two week later the newlyweds returned quietly. Kitty made her way to see Hank before the welcoming committee got to her. As soon as she knew where she stood, she made her way to the boat house with Piotr.

As it happened, Logan's little family was having breakfast when the Rasputins knocked on the door. They didn't wait for a response - as Logan's girls had been warned not to wait for them to answer. When they stepped inside, K had James in her arms falling asleep with his hand in her shirt. She turned to look at Logan, then shot him a warning glare when her back was to Kitty and Piotr.

Kitty came in sheepishly a few steps behind K, a little blush on her pale cheeks as she finally came clean to Logan, who to his credit, played along perfectly, kissing her on the top of her head, and congratulating the both of them as he hugged her before he tured to Piotr.

"Goes double now, pal," he growled, a subtle warning against hurting Kitty or the little one.

"I'd deserve more if I hurt her,  _tovarich_." Pete answered, smiling at his friend's good intentions as K handed James to Kitty.

"Here you go, get used to it," she said before she picked up Rose and handed her to Piotr. "If you don't help her enough, I'll castrate you." K's subtlety was entirely out the window as Piotr blinked, shocked at K's open and direct threat. The rarity of it coming from K only made it seem that much more like a promise. She smiled at him as sweetly as she could muster then turned back to Logan who had his arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked at her, clearly in disbelief.

"Like you weren't thinking it," K defended before Logan pulled her over to steal a kiss - and than almost belatedly invite Kitty and Piotr to coffee.


	2. Call Of The Wild

A new routine had been developing at the Xavier Institute, and Logan was clearly getting tired of all of it. He was becoming unsettled, restless. Kitty, freshly back from her honeymoon, had been watching for weeks and started to honestly worry for his family's sake. Nothing good ever came from him getting like this. She was worried he would do something that would end up leaving K alone with their small children, and history had proven that K  _needed_ him to be around her just to keep her mood up.

Which was why Kitty was sure to seek out Kurt first. Though that didn't go nearly as well as she'd thought it would.

"He's fine,  _Kazchen_ ," Kurt promised with a broad smile. "He's simply ready to stretch his legs and find a fight, I'm sure. It's been fairly quiet lately, you know. And that has never done Logan much good in large doses."

"I don't think that's entirely  _true_ ," Kitty argued. "He  _wants_ the quiet … it just … doesn't usually  _stay_ quiet…"

"That … is very true," Kurt had to admit before he shook his head hard. "But I'm  _very sure_ that he'll be fine. He has his lady love and his family … that's what he's been after all along. Don't fret, Kitty."

But Kitty wasn't convinced and made her way to find someone who had a little better insight into Logan's mind … especially since they shared a psychic bond. But, Betsy simply shook her head when she heard Kitty's concerns.

"He's not going to leave them behind if he goes. He's learned from his mistakes. Don't worry. All is fine," Betsy had told her. "Even if there is something drawing him - it's coming from him. Not an outside source." But that only had Kitty more confused and as she made her way toward another appointment for her coming little one, Jean caught her unintentionally projected concerns - and seemed to agree with Kitty.

"I know you're concerned," Jean said when she caught up. "It feels like he's ready to … I don't know. Jump ship or something."

"Yes! That, exactly! And K's doing so much better this time around, and the  _kids_ are just the sweetest little things ever …" Kitty drifted off, looking very worried. "I just don't know what to  _do_."

"Well, we could talk to K and see what she thinks. No one is around him more, and I'm sure she'd know if Logan was getting to the point of doing something questionable," Jean replied as she finished packing up her bag. "Charles and I were going down for tea anyhow. He should be there already."

Kitty blinked at her a few times and then shook her head. "Why … didn't I think of that?"

"We'll blame it on pregnancy brain," Jean said with a warm smile before she shouldered Rachel and the two of them started for the boathouse to try to test the waters with K. But if they were looking for some reassurance, both of them were more than a little shocked when it seemed that K was even more jumpy and restless than he was.

 _Maybe it isn't him leaving that we need to worry about after all. He could be acting that way simply from his connection with her,_ Jean projected to Kitty.

 _I just didn't think we'd have to worry about her like this,_  Kitty replied.

 _Let's just try to see what she's thinking. That will help,_  Jean promised.

"K, are you alright?" Jean asked as they sat down to have tea with her and Charles as Abbey played and the twins slept. It was clear something was up since K looked as if she'd had too much caffeine.

"I'm fine. I just …" K took a breath and held it, before she simply let her shoulders drop. "I gotta get outta here. Not just this room, or this place. I have to  _go_. Somewhere. But I can't do it. Not yet. They're too small," she said, gesturing towards the little ones.

"Where is it that you feel you need to go, K?" Charles asked, concerned that the little family may actually leave them for more than a breath of fresh air for how tense Logan was too.

"I don't know. Logan's got so many commitments with not just the school but the teams … I don't know that we could go at all. I just … feel the pull."

Jean blinked at that, frowning to herself, though at least Rachel trying to pull her hair was a good cover for it. "What pull?" she asked.

"I can't … really … it's just a  _feeling_ , you know? I .." K let out a breath and looked incredibly frustrated. "Just … take a look. It's not something easily described."

The offer in itself was shocking enough - and the fact that K had kept her mind open for Jean was that much more interesting, but when she  _did_ reach into K's mind, the overwhelming desire to  _move_  was palpable. "Wow. You need to go North." Jean said at almost a whisper as K simply gestured as if it was all crystal clear to the others listening.

"You mean she  _wants_ to go north," Kitty corrected, but Jean shook her head seriously.

"No, she  _needs_  to go. It's not a desire. It's deeper. If Logan has the same thing happening..." she let the sentiment fall for the moment. "I'll just …"  _Would you take Rachel when we go so I can talk to Logan?_ Jean projected to Kitty.

 _Of course,_ was the quick response - and their tea with Charles went on reasonably peacefully. K did her best to keep her anxiety under control and Charles did his level best to make sure that she felt  _safe_ with the little group.

When tea was over though, Jean was left a little … unsettled. Even a taste of what K was feeling had her restless. When she found Logan, he was finishing up his combat class, the students were bruised, sweaty, and hopelessly worn out. "Hey, stranger," Jean said as she watched the students pass her on their way out.

"You need somethin' Jeannie?" Logan asked, all business - still tense.

"Um, not really. I was just having tea with Charles and K," she said, and he tightened his mouth and nodded, understanding now where this was headed. "Are you  _both_  feeling the need to leave?"

He did his best to keep from reacting, but he knew there was no reason to deny it. "She's feelin' it bad. I need to go with her when she does head out, or I'm half afraid she won't come back. She's gonna have to do somethin' about it soon, too.

"She's a little afraid to take the kids or leave them behind," Jean added. "That protective drive in her is a scary sometimes."

"She's got a real mama bear thing goin' on," Logan agreed with a smirk, leaning in the door frame. "I think I'm gonna have to take 'em up to the cabin. That oughta be far enough north to make her happy, and far enough away from everyone else to make me happy." He smirked at Jean almost ruefully. "Can't stop who we are."

"No, and we wouldn't want you to," Jean agreed. "It's nice, honestly. To see you both so … in tune." She took a breath and turned to walk down the hall. "I'll start scanning for you - just to make sure that no one will be around to bother you." She was almost to Cerebro when she looked over her shoulder at him. "And don't worry about the little ones being safe. The two of you need time alone, too."

Logan smirked at that, looking down at his hands before he spoke up. "You pushin' for another one already, Jeannie? K might just murder both of us if she thinks you're settin' her up."

"You do know that Hank has a system now, right? She just has to go down and get him to take care of her."

"She did that last week," Logan admitted.

"Then you're all set," Jean replied. "And I know you'd both appreciate a little alone time."

* * *

A week later, the Howletts were on their way. K was nervous and tense until they got into the cabin and dropped their bags. It was the first time they'd been away from their little ones. Jean had sworn on her life she'd care for them as her own, and Scott was clearly tickled to was clear that he was hoping for a little good luck in the kids department - but even if it was  _just_ babysitting … it was clear Scott was in heaven surrounded by little kids that thought the  _world_ of him.

As Logan let out a breath, K stood very still, listening. Outside the open door the little forest creatures were starting to move around again, having all frozen when Logan and K came through. The birds were starting to chirp and the squirrels were running around the trees in their little furry squirrely battles, barking at each other in little chirps and growls. She rolled her neck and bit her lip as she turned toward Logan. He was only an arms length away when she opened her eyes again, and before she could smile at him, he was kissing her. Yep. This was precisely what she needed to center herself.

* * *

Jean and Scott were having a blast with Abbey in particular. The twins still didn't do much more than eat and sleep with little periods of trying to hold on to things they could bite, struggling to guide whatever they grasped into their mouths, or smiling at anyone near them. Abbey had started to talk  _clearly_ – she'd be silent for a long while, sometimes days, not even saying the little words she knew when she'd suddenly spit out an entire fully formed sentence. To top it off, she was easily becoming one of the cutest little girls either had laid eyes on. Her hair was now long enough that she was asking for Jean to pull it back into pigtails, and would even sit still long enough for her to make two tiny french braids for her, grinning up at both of them like a Cheshire cat when her hair was finished.

"How the hell did Logan have a part in making these pretty little kids?" Scott teased one day, shaking his head as Abbey tiptoed around the living room.

"Be nice, Scott. They're actually a lot like him, just without the years of abuse," Jean defended.

"And I'll do everything I can to keep it that way," Scott said. He was holding James at the moment, the little boy was drawing him in for some reason, and clearly favoring Scott over Jean.

Rose on the other hand, lit up best when her sister tried to help care for her. She had an extra twinkle in her eyes when Abbey was near, and it was obvious to anyone the little girl couldn't wait until she was big enough to play with her.

By the time the week was over, Scott and James had turned into best buddies – at least as good as a grown man and a baby can be. He wouldn't go to sleep unless Scott was holding him. He always made sure his little hand was resting on Scott's neck as he drifted off, sighing in his sleep.

"Do we have to give him back?" Scott teased, so taken with him now that he kind of dreaded when Logan and K returned and took their children back. "They're really sweet snuggled up with Rachel."

Jean could have melted at that … he wasn't wrong. Rachel had gotten used to snuggling up with Rose - and the two girls liked to sleep almost holding hands. And anyone could clearly see how taken Scott was with the little guy.

"Scott, we can start trying again any time," she said, trying to ease his mind.

"Just waiting on you, Mrs. Summers," Scott said with a smile before he gently laid James down in the crib with the girls. His twin sister turned, cuddling up to him in her sleep and Rachel on her other side let out a contented sigh. Abbey came over to Jean and Scott as they embraced, waiting patiently for them to acknowledge her.

"Love you," she said, then puckered up waiting for Scott to pick her up and kiss her cheek. She fell apart in a wash of giggles then reached over to pull Jean over to start up her kissing game, clapping every time the two followed her wishes and stole kisses.

"I think I know how they got the twins," Scott laughed.

"Then we need to babysit more often, obviously," Jean agreed with a laugh as Abbey once more pushed Scott toward her.

* * *

It had been a wild week at the cabin and both Logan and K had let out their wild side a lot more than they had in the past, probably scaring off the wild life for a good mile or two around them. It was almost a repeat of their honeymoon, if they were being honest, and now … now they were searching for clothes. The bags had been left more or less untouched since their arrival, but they couldn't remember where they'd  _put them._

K was centered again and the need to hold her children was now stronger than the call of the North ever had been. Logan was in total agreement and in a much better disposition himself, too. It had been fun, but they wouldn't likely do this again soon without bringing the little ones along. The walk back to the jet was peaceful and the two of them went hand in hand, barefooted through the woods, smirking at each other and enjoying the last bit of their time North.

When the Howletts got back, Abbey positively squealed when she spotted her parents down the hallway, running to them on her tiptoes all the way, arms out to throw herself at her father when he knelt down to greet her. She was grinning widely as she wrapped her little arms around his neck then laughed into his shoulder when she got the bear hug she'd been  _waiting_ for. The twins were just waking up and when K gently picked up Rose, the little girl clearly was happy to see her, grinning her toothless grin as big as her face could hold. She jockeyed Rose around so she could pick up James too. He started to smile crookedly when he saw her, and when Scott helped to get him settled in her arms, James leaned toward her to give her a big sloppy baby kiss - almost chewing on her cheek as a greeting. Of course, as soon as he was with mom, he was entirely unwilling to let her go.

Abbey slid down her father before he took Rose from K. She snuggled in neatly, but it was clear James was needing a little extra mom attention.

"He has really taken a liking to Scott while you've been gone," Jean told them with a grin, Logan paused and Scott turned bright red all while James grinned toothlessly at his father, leaning toward him as he addressed the little boy.

"Izzat so, little guy?" Logan said, trading babies with K as James gave him the same treatment he did his mother. Scott rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly but didn't have much of a defense.

"He's been pretty good," Scott said.

"Uh huh," Logan replied, giving him a little look before Abbey rushed over to give Scott a kiss as they packed up. When the little ones had all their things arranged, the little family headed to the boat house, pleasantly surprised when they walked in to find that Jubilee and the girls had taken the liberty of thoroughly cleaning the place and setting out some fresh baked goodies for their return.

"They're not ever going to stop, are they?" K asked as she carried the Rose off to let her play in the playpen with James.

"Wait until they get boyfriends … or girlfriends," Logan muttered. "Won't be long, I'm sure."

* * *

Kitty was absolutely enjoying herself. She was the picture perfect little pregnant lady. Her bump was perfect, she was gaining weight in a healthy manner,  _glowing_ as it were. Everyone was doing their best to make her comfortable, and the whole house was pretty sure that they were well versed now in taking care of an expectant mother.

They were wrong.

Not long after she arrived back from her honeymoon, Kitty had started getting the worst of her symptoms - becoming violently ill every afternoon, hypersensitive to most smells the rest of the time. She still wasn't to the level scent wise that Logan and K were on a daily basis, but her reactions to certain smells was uncomfortable for her. And though Kitty tried hard to keep it to a minimum, unfortunately there was one scent that was honestly driving her insane. Gambit's cologne. He was, of course, insulted at first, though if that was by her insinuation or the fact that Rogue was positively on the ground laughing about it, he realized she wasn't teasing, and shocking most of them, he changed his brand immediately.

But even with the help of the whole house to make her more comfortable, she was becoming dehydrated from vomiting all the time. She escaped to the boathouse for some sympathy, hoping K would have a miracle cure for her since so far, nothing that had worked for Jean had done a thing to help Kitty.

So she was properly shocked when K listened to her before telling her to have a seat, returning with a bottle of cold ginger ale. "Try this for now, but wait around. Logan will be back. He can fix it," K promised her, joining her to chat while they waited.

On finding a sympathetic ear, Kitty told her of all the troubles she was having so far – most of them involving her stomach, and her desire for super crunchy pickles. K laughed and responded by admitting that the only cravings she ever had was for fresh venison and berries. While they were comparing experiences, Logan came in, smiling and singed.

"Didn't expect to see you here, kitten. Somethin' wrong?" he asked, tossing his shredded and charred cowl in the corner.

"Nausea.  _Extreme_ nausea," K said, tipping her head to Kitty as Logan furrowed his brow.

He kneeled down next to her and offered her his open palm."Gimmie your hand, punkin'," Logan told her. Kitty reached out to him with a curious smile, wondering what exactly he was up to. Especially since so far, no one at the house had been successful. "Relax, darlin'. Remember how to meditate, now." He took a slow deep breath and firmly pressed on a spot just below her wrist, and the queasy sensation drifted away in less than a minute.

When Kitty realized it, she stared at him for a long moment before breaking into a grin and ten very nearly tackled him with a hug. "Of course you'd know something better! Why didn't you tell me that?" she demanded of K.

"I preferred it when he did it," K said, as Logan got to his feet and then stole a long kiss with K.

"Me too," Logan said with a crooked smirk before he shot a wink toward the two of them. "Any excuse ta get my hands on her."

Kitty made a face as he walked off to get cleaned up - though when she looked at K, it was obvious that it wasn't far off the mark either. "You two are just … oh my  _god_ , you'll never learn."

"Don't wanna," Logan called back, getting an honest laugh out of Kitty.

* * *

It was in the wee hours of the night and Logan kissed K, waking her up unintentionally.

"Go back to sleep. I gotta go – big mission. Got some bad guys to shut down. Love you," he almost purred to her as she pulled him back for a proper good luck kiss.

She smirked at him, snuggling into his pillow. "Love you too. Go get 'em," she replied quietly. "Don't forget to come back safe."

"How could I forget that?" he asked with a crooked smile before stepping out the door. K rolled over and tried to sleep, his pillow clutched tightly to her as she listened to the front door close.

Morning came and went, and no one was concerned. K was a little on edge, but it wasn't much beyond how she normally felt when he was on a big mission without her. Still, she couldn't relax. She left the little ones with Jean and Scott, and Abbey was more than happy to entertain herself by helping with Rachel for the most part.

Which gave K the much needed time to clear her head. She saddled up the Arab that came with one of the newer students. The girl had brought it as a pet, but it had little to no training and K was working him in her spare time, trying to see if he'd ever be a suitable mount for a beginner. Today was  _not_ one of his good days. He was snorting and pawing and generally acting like a hyped up fruit loop, but K persisted. She took him to the round pen and worked him out before mounting up, trying to encourage him to settle before she climbed on. When she got in the saddle, though, he was ready to GO. He was a difficult horse at the best of times, far quicker and smarter than the others in the barn. He was a  _horrid_ prospect for beginners, but  _exactly_ the kind of ride K needed to focus on something other than the doubt in the back of her head.

And so she focused on the horse and the difficult task to get him to settle out. And she did the same the following day. And the day after that … and the day after that until it was painfully clear that something was just …  _wrong_.

There had been no word from Logan. At all. And while a few days wasn't exactly troublesome, a week was. She was ready to start looking when Kurt intervened. "He knew there was a risk with this one," Kurt told her quietly as she fiddled with the wiring on his motorcycle. She'd already addressed oil changes and the basic maintenance that really didn't need to be done, and now she was just … trying to keep busy. Horse training wasn't working anymore. Not when she was tense enough to make the horses uptight. "But … I'm afraid that it's time to start looking into other means to find him."

"Are you going to help?"

"You're damn right I am," Kurt said with an almost fierce edge. "Let me talk to Charles. I think I can pressure him properly - and if it doesn't work the way we think, you can take a shot."

K didn't like it, but she  _trusted_ Kurt. "Do you have thoughts?"

"He may have been waylaid by some of his less than above the board friends," Kurt admitted.

"So it's not  _entirely_ out of bounds yet."

"I'll talk to the unsavory ones," Kurt offered. "Just give me a few days."

"That's all," K agreed before Kurt leaned over to pull her into a tight hug - that she clearly needed since she didn't  _mean_ to lean into him and grab on tight, but once she did, it was clear how anxious Kurt was too.

"If he's not in trouble, I'm going to kick his ass," Kurt promised, which at least got K to let out a little laugh.

* * *

A few days later, Charles and Scott finally asked K to sit down with them so they could tell her that something had gone wrong on Logan's mission. Both of them looked upset - though Scott had an honest 'ready for battle' expression that was hard to miss.

The mission wasn't supposed to last that long, nowhere near. As it turned out, the original plan was a three day deal. And K was sick on hearing all that Charles had been able to find - or not find. All she could do was freak out … wondering where the hell he was. She turned to Scott and in a voice that almost  _felt_ disembodied, K calmly spoke up. "Would you please keep an eye on the little ones while I go find him?"

"We can go in with a team," Scott said, but K simply held his gaze.

"You know they're looking for that," K said. "Whoever this is. I can be fast and at least scout it. To see if it's something you can do with the team or if you need more help."

"I don't like you going in alone," Scott said. "It's not a smart move."

"No, maybe not, but it's still what's going to happen. We can argue about it and I can let you think you won then do it anyhow, or you can just let me go ahead and try to get the intel you need."

"Kurt can-"

"Kurt doesn't know black ops like I do," K said. "And I need you two to watch the kids - to keep it more normal for them. They know they're safe with you. And when I find him, I'll want you and Kurt to go in like the cavalry."

"K, I don't mind telling you, I don't like this one bit," Scott said. "I want monitors on you - trackers, and at least one panic button."

"Alright," K agreed. "All of that, but please, keep the kids safe in the meantime."

"I will," Scott replied sounding a little constricted.

"Don't get too used to it," K said, though she didn't smile. There was too much at stake when it came to her sweetheart. "I'll be back for my kids -  _with_ Logan." She kissed the little ones one last time as they napped in their cribs. Jean and Scott promised they would stay at the boat house until K returned with Logan.

When she got to the hangar, Gambit and Kurt were waiting for her.

"Figure you might wan a lil' help from ol' Remy." His expression was deadly serious.

She considered him a moment and bit her lip. "Scott insisted, didn't he?"

"Even if he hadn't, do you really think we'd let you go do this on your own?" Kurt challenged.

K let out a laugh and gestured to the minijet. "Load up then. I wanna get him back fast."

"I know," Kurt said as he put a hand on her arm then teleported the three of them into the jet. "So do I."

K gave him a wan smile and sat down in the pilot's seat, her humor lost.

"Where we goin' petit?" Remy asked settling in next to her.

K looked between the two men and let out a breath. "Madripoor."


	3. Mind Control

The sound of water dripping echoed the concrete and steel chamber as a man watched over a monitor carefully. His plans were delicate and though he had faith that all would fall into line, he knew that things could go south in this kind of operation faster than the wind could change.

The door to the room opened and footsteps echoed all around the hollow sounding room as one of his underlings came to report.

"They're coming for him. Will we be ready when they get here?" his voice echoed through the chamber, accentuating the ever-present dripping.

"We're ready. What should we do with them when they arrive?" a second voice asked.

"Bring her in. We'll give her the adjustment she needs. Kill the others. We have no use for them."

* * *

The little trio of X-Men made the descent toward the tiny filthy island of Madripoor. There was a place near the docks that they could land and stash the jet. They hadn't contacted anyone there, unsure of who was running the island these days, or which of the powers that be could possibly be more likely than the last to be the one  _holding_ Wolverine. All they knew for sure was  _that_ was where Charles had found him.

As the jet's engines wound down, K adjusted the wrist locator Scott had provided her – a portable version of cerebro that should lead them right to him. She had to do a little double take though when Kurt took a moment to activate his image inducer as well. "You may be able to go where you please, but even in Madripoor, it's best if I am a bit more … careful," Kurt explained.

"That can be true and I still don't have to like it," K countered, earning an honest smile from Kurt.

"As always, I'm lucky to have such good company," Kurt said with a grin before they headed out with a very human looking Nightcrawler.

Kurt and Remy had spent the better part of the flight taking turns filling her in on what they would probably run into once they were there. And admit it or not, K was a little nervous about rushing headlong into what could be best described as a pit of ninjas, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let anyone stand in her way when it came to getting Logan back. Remy suggested they start at Logan's old bar – the Princess, currently run by Tyger Tyger to the best of his knowledge. And when Kurt grudgingly agreed, it was a done deal. As they made their way through the busy crowds, K was cursing her senses. Even in the better part of town, the streets were filthy. Garbage and human waste were the most prevalent scents, though the occasional rotting corpse was hidden in an alleyway here and there. There was little that she could do to not feel ill at the assault on her nose.

"Smells worse than last time we were here," Kurt said softly.

"Must be awful for you, petit," Remy said, matching Kurt's low tone as they came up on the bar. Remy led the way, greeted by Tyger's bodyguard when he got to the bar.

"What are you doin' here, LeBeau? I thought we had an agreement," the wall of a man said to him. But of course, Remy simply turned on the charm, and cranked up his empathic abilities, gently manipulating the man's emotions to favor them.

"We lookin' for an ol' friend. Tyger too busy to talk to Gambit herself?" he asked, and though K and Kurt shared a look, it was clear that for as much as Remy was cranking it up, even they were a bit charmed.

But the bodyguard shook his head. "I know what you're doin' LeBeau. I oughta cut you and leave you for dead for that, but the boss wanted to talk to you anyhow. She knew you'd be coming soon." He stopped, frowning deeply as he gave K a clear once over. "Who's the skirt?"

"She helpin' me. X-Man in trainin'," he replied, though Kurt let out a bark of a laugh and draped his arm around her shoulders.

" _Lächerlich_ ," he said in a deep tone. "She travels with me." K bit the inside of her cheek, but leaned into Kurt and kissed his cheek. It was as good a cover as any as far as she was concerned.

The bouncer looked her up and down again and on being unable to see any threat there, led them up to Tyger's place overlooking the bar below. She almost looked happy to see them.

"Remy LeBeau. I suppose you're in search of your missing X-Man. You won't find him here," she said, though as she spoke, K noted that her features showed severe signs of stress. "I can tell you who has him though. You need to get him away from those people."

Remy couldn't help but to scrunch up his brows. "Why, what dey doin'? Torture?" Remy asked, lighting up a cigarette.

Tyger shook her head. "Though there is always some degree of that, no. He's not himself. He's enforcing for them, and I don't know how they're making him." As she finished her sentence, she took a long drag off of her cigarette and then seemed to suddenly notice K. "Who's this? I can assume the gentleman is your friend Nightcrawler, but the girl … You don't drag along sidekicks."

"Who has him?" K said suspiciously, the hackles on the back of her neck raised.

But it seemed that K going around Remy was enough to let Tyger read between the lines. Her eyes widened and she nearly dropped her cigarette. "You're the one. You're his wife, aren't you?" Before K could affirm or deny, she turned to Remy. "Get her out of here –  _now_. They want her too! You have to get her off this island immediately!"

But as Remy opened his mouth to respond, a wave of ninjas broke through the windows of the bar, scattering patrons and workers alike. The four of them in Tyger's office all ducked down as the invasion began to pour through the open windows. As the fight broke out below, Tyger started shooting from the balcony, still telling them to run.

In a flash of pink and indigo light and brimstone, Kurt teleported K out of the Princess bar and to the jet. "You heard them," he said urgently. "It's time to go."

"Hey! Not without Lo-" Kurt teleported back to the bar before K could even finish, leaving her alone at the jet and snarling out her frustration. Which, honestly, he should have known better. With her growl coming out of its own volition, K squared her shoulders and headed back the same way they'd gone when they went to the Princess bar just a short while ago.

At the bar, all Remy, Tyger, and Kurt could do was fight their way out. Both X-Men weren't ready to call it quits, and they wanted to make a show of what they thought of whoever this was  _stealing_ their friend. As Kurt teleported around the room with a pair of swords flashing light from their blades - the image inducer off and tucked away - Remy was having a ball. He charged playing cards, chairs, glasses – you name it, he was making use of everything within reach when he wasn't whirling his bo staff and cracking ninja skulls. Tyger was shooting and dodging, hiding behind whatever cover she could find, wishing that Logan and his claws were here to strike them down.

The fight was dirty, but it only got dirtier when K finally made it  _back_ to the Princess bar, and when she did - she burst in through one of the already broken windows, making her presence known with a snarl that had some of the ninjas startling.

Tyger nearly dropped her gun when K popped her claws and launched herself into the nearest pack of ninjas, shredding just as well as Logan ever did. But the deluge didn't stop- they kept coming in waves. Just when the group of X-Men thought they'd made enough headway to take a moment to interrogate, another wave of ninjas came in. Even fighting as viciously as they could, the three of them and Tyger were slowly losing the battle by sheer numbers. Tyger had run dry on ammo, Remy was low on cards and easily reachable objects, relying entirely on his bo staff, swirling and jabbing as quickly as he was able, but even he was starting to wear down. Kurt was still holding strong - and had picked up a loose stave with his tail - to great effect. And K was coated in blood, still slicing, stabbing, twisting and kicking anything that got too close to her. She was near exhaustion herself when suddenly the ninjas all backed off.

Kurt took her arm, ready once again to teleport them out - only to swear in German. "I can't 'port," he whispered so that only K could hear. K was afraid to take her eyes off the quickly disappearing ninjas as they melted back far enough that any one of them to step toward them would find themselves on the wrong end of a very bad fight.

"Don't make no big moves," Remy called out to her, but she had no plans to do so, breathing heavily as she scanned the dark corners. Something was wrong.

" _Mein Freund,_ " Kurt said softly. "I believe it's time that we retreat and come up with a better plan."

"Time to go!" Remy agreed, panting hard as well. But before they could find a solid escape route with Kurt unable to teleport, K caught a very familiar scent and spun on the spot, her lips parted.

"K," Kurt breathed out, ready to step in front of her when Logan started to growl.

He didn't even get all the way in front of her before K let out an almost breathless 'oh, no', an instant before a ringing  _snikt_ echoed the streets and Logan attacked.

* * *

Charles had been using the portable Cerebro K was wearing to monitor the little team's progress as well as to try and give them as much information as he could on what was going on around them. When things started to go south in the bar with the ninjas, he called on Psylocke and Angel to go after them since they were already in Sydney on a short vacation and far closer than the rest of the team all the way across the globe.

Betsy could feel something was  _wrong_ with Logan, so Charles reaching out was really only confirmation of such. Logan's emotions were torn. He was doing something he didn't  _want_ to do. Something that went against everything in him but even for as hard as he was fighting it - he couldn't  _stop_.

Betsy had no idea what it was, but she was afraid it was an act that he wouldn't recover from, so when she and Warren left, she called up her old X-Force team mate, Deadpool, to come and assist. As much as she didn't need the insanity, she knew they may need his special irritating brand of humor to get through this one, and naturally, Wade was more than willing to join the fight.

* * *

K positively held her breath as she fought back against her husband. She did everything she could to push down the fears she had, though the fear itself was making her far less than efficient. He was vicious and fast, and try as she might to get him to come around, his eyes held no recognition of her as he lunged at her, clearly ready to go for the kill.

Remy was screaming at her to cut him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it = not only reluctant to hurt him, but unable to take the time to make the right cut, and instead, she was forced into dodging his blows by millimeters … until one of he made solid contact, sweeping her legs out from under her and knocking her flat. He was on her before she could so much as raise a hand. Logan held her down, his fist under her chin, two claws already out, the third in – his most favored interrogation method. "What do you  _want_ ," Logan bit out, pure acid in his tone.

"I was looking for you," she said quietly. She'd been scared before but now, stuck in this position, she didn't have anything left to hold out for unless he could  _remember_ her - which honestly stung on its own.

Her answer wasn't what Logan was expecting and he'd cut her as she spoke - the simple action of moving her jaw enough to slice herself. But remember her or not, his gaze focused on the cut as it disappeared, before he looked up to her eyes, growling low. "Who are you," he whispered low, somehow his tone even nastier at a hush. K wasn't sure if she should answer him or not, but it didn't matter when Kurt beat her to it.

"Damnit, Logan, she's your  _wife_. If you know what's good for you, you'll stop this  _wahnsinn_ before you do something you'll regret! Let her up,  _mein Freund!_ "

Logan's gaze never left hers as she calmly waited for him to blink past what she could almost  _feel_ as a fog. Whatever odd little psychic connection they had … it was foggy, but she could almost feel his desire to believe them. She needed to tip him over the edge. "Check my scent," K suggested. "If you don't remember me, go ahead and try to kill me. I won't fight you." As she said it, a certain calm washed over her, even with Kurt snarling out some of the dirtiest German she'd ever heard in her life. She didn't know what would happen if her little gamble didn't work ... she may or may not heal from whatever he chose to do to her.

Logan considered her for a long moment, watching her for any sign of deception, but he simply couldn't find anything. "If you move, you die," he warned her as he directed her to put her arms to her sides. He knelt on her hands, immobilizing them so he could lean in to get a more concentrated whiff of her. K closed her eyes as he gave it a shot, but when he could smell nothing but blood on her, he tore the shoulder off her top, trying to find a spot on her that  _wasn't_ bloodied. He was nearly into her hair before he took a deep breath, moving the hairs at the back of her neck. She held her breath as she waited for his verdict only to jump when he kissed her just behind her ear.

"Can't place it, But I can't remember  _something,_ " he said whisper quiet, still watching her carefully.

"If you look at my left hand -"

"Yeah, I'm not doin' that. Not here. Not now," Logan replied before he glanced up only to growl at the two X-Men that were being held into very painful looking positions. "You're coming with me, and you'll do as I say." When he let her up, he grabbed a hold of her by the arm, pulling her behind him as they slipped into the night and the ninjas turned their attention  _back_  to Kurt and Remy.

Logan dragged her into a waiting car a few blocks from the bar, then shoved her roughly into the back seat before joining her, the driver zipped them down the road. It seemed as if the traffic was stepping to the side just so they could pass.

K realized quickly that any chance she had of the guys following was slipping away the further they got from the bar. She started to sit up and Logan pulled her close, still growling. He pinned her to the seat with one arm across her chest as he looked into her face, his eyes wild. "If I find out you're lying..."

"I don't lie to you," K replied calmly before he released her long enough to pull the glove off her left hand. He lost some of the angry glare when he saw the ring - his head tipped to the side as he looked at it. K saw the little movement as his right hand automatically drifted to his left - and she knew he was touching the ring on his own hand before his hands balled up into fists.

The frustration … it was right there  _proof_ that he was fighting whatever 'they' had done to him.

He relaxed back into his seat, incrementally, and allowed her sit next to him, though she was still tense too. When the car came to a halt, far from the bar, in a very quiet and shady looking part of the island, again Logan grabbed her arm and began dragging her along quickly. He took her into a large industrial type building, rushing through it until they hit a hidden elevator that took them down several stories under the building.

K was getting more nervous the further they got. She couldn't get past the fact that this … looked eerily like an elevator ride she'd taken with Creed a few years ago. And that simple fact had her heart in her throat. If he'd asked her to speak, she wouldn't have been able to anything but let out a stifled scream. They made their way to the most plain looking of rooms that housed a long table with several men seated at it.

"I've got her. What do you want me to do with her now?" Logan said gruffly.

"Have her cleaned up, then keep an eye on her," the older, bespectacled man told him, barely looking up from his work.

Nodding once, Logan simply began to drag her along, which really only left K entirely confused. She hadn't seen the man that was directing him, but his voice was hauntingly familiar. If Logan suspected the truth from her, she couldn't figure out why he was following this guy's orders.

When they came to a stop, she yanked her arm out of his grip. "You don't believe me," she spit out before he made a dive to push her against the wall and simply start searching her. Her lip curled up as she fought back, sure she knew which way this was headed, though she had to pause when he smashed the portable cerebro unit under his boot then dragged her into what looked like a large, open shower stall. He cranked the water on and pushed her into the center of the open space.

"Wash up," Logan directed, as if he hadn't heard a word K had said. She glared at him for a moment and he crossed his arms. "Up to you if you do it on your own or not."

K let out a growl and turned her back to him before she took a moment to strip first, since, clearly, they were headed that way from the way he'd been looking for bugs. "I'd prefer help, but not the way you're doing it," K muttered to herself before she stepped under the water to wash as he'd directed. Since she was keeping her back to him though, she didn't see the way he was looking at her - much more interested than he'd been when they'd been with an entourage. But again, K was ready for a fight - and if she had to crack him in the mouth, now would be the time.

As soon as she'd thoroughly scrubbed down, the water cut on its own and Logan offered a towel to her before again, he pulled her behind him and kept a quick pace. She wasn't exactly nervous anymore. This was bad and she knew it. Right down to her toes. She was worried before, but now? Now it was eerie and her nerves were on end as she shivered from the cold, drafty halls.

He slowed when they approached the end of the hall, and K tipped her chin up, angling herself to kick him in the throat if need be, but before she could act on it, he pulled her into the door he'd just opened and pinned her - just to get a long, solid scent from her.

On realizing what he was doing, K froze. He wasn't acting like himself and she didn't  _like_ the way he was handling her. It hit all the wrong buttons, and seeing as he had her  _pinned_ again, when she felt his breath on the back of her neck, she couldn't stop the growl as it sparked up.

"Thought you were my wife," he said in a harsh growl.

"Doesn't mean you don't have to work for it," K growled right back, more of the low gravelly growl in her words than even he was using.

Of course, what she  _couldn't_ see was the disbelieving smile as it flickered to life just before he kissed her at the point of her neck and shoulder - right before she pushed against the wall hard - and the fight started.

* * *

Psylocke's little team was searching for Logan and K when they ran into a  _very_ irate Kurt with Remy following at a safe distance. Kurt's tail was whipping back and forth and his teeth were clenched in what looked like a snarl.

"Any idea what this little hell hole is?" Warren asked as they watched the guards patrol the perimeter.

"Ooh ooh! Me!  _Me_ – I know," Deadpool said, waving his arm in the air like a small child until he fell over sideways. The others stared at him for a moment before Betsy raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Wade?" she said, not even surprised that he was getting on her nerves already.

"THAT is a really big building filled with bad guys and ninjas," Wade replied, grinning under his mask.

She rolled her eyes. "We knew that. I mean who is in charge of it? All I'm getting from the foot soldiers down there is that they're under the protection of the Hand, but this is a bigger operation than they usually have in one place," she said returning her attention to the building.

"Oh, well, you want to know who  _hired_ the Hand then," Wade said, nodding thoughtfully.

"That is precicely what she just  _said_ ," Kurt bit out. His hands were in fists and he was clearly in no mood as Wade made his way over and put one arm over his shoulders.

"Easy does it big guy. This is alright. We can handle this. Why don't we just go ask them?"

"We can't. They have Wolverine under some sort of mind control down there. You may heal quickly, but the rest of us don't have that luxury," Warren told him, already sure it was a mistake inviting him along.

But while the little group tried to figure out the best way to handle things, a long black limo pulled up and the group hunkered down as Betsy reached out to psychically brush the minds of all in attendance. They watched with baited breath as a familiar skinny bald head popped up from the limo.

"Son of a … I know that creepy little egg sucker," Wade said. The tone of his voice was completely serious, and something that the X-Men weren't used to hearing from him. "There's your answer, kids. Another damned Weapon X raid. I  _knew_ those losers at SHIELD wouldn't hang on to him for very long," Wade snarled.

Betsy watched the man walk into the building. He was smiling as he entered, his entourage in tow, and as she concentrated, she sucked in a breath and sat back on her heels in shock. "Bloody hell, he's done it," Betsy said, her accent thicker now that she wasn't thinking of trying to cover it. "He's got Logan under full control. He's been sending him out on  _missions_. Logan's been killing for them." Betsy turned to look up at Warren. "You have to get everyone here.. Right now."

"Alright I'll call the professor and tell him to bring the X-Men," Warren replied, his jaw set.

"No, I'm afraid that won't do it. We can't just use the X-Men if we want to stop this permanently. We need  _everyone_. Avengers, Excalibur, X-Factor, Acolytes – we need everyone who's available to come," she replied.

Warren stared at her for a long moment. "You're sure?" he asked, his wings fluttering lightly behind him for a moment before Betsy reached out and projected all that she'd seen in play dow in the building holding the Weapon X forces. Warren swore, then turned before he took off back to their jet to make his secure call.

"What do we do, boss lady?" Wade asked, clenching and unclenching his hands next to his pistols.

"Wait here, keep an eye on things. Keep them here, and find all the entrances. Kurt, Remy, and I are going to find our way in and see if we can pinpoint Logan and K. I still can't decipher if they want her for an another weapon or if they want her for insurance to use against him. Either way, we need to find them both and do so quickly."

The three men nodded, emboldened by a plan in place before Betsy, Remy, and Kurt slipped off leaving Wade to his task.

"Are you sure we can trust him to do this properly?" Kurt asked quietly.

"One thing you can trust Wade to do is to screw over Weapon X," Betsy told him before she got into a ready position and melted into the shadows. Kurt found his way in first – he'd crawled up the wall to pick a lock on a high window, then slipped in silently, creeping along the ceiling as Remy took to the beams over the main floor of the building. They watched as a group of soldiers walked over to what looked like a flat wall, then put in a code on a hidden panel, which opened up an elevator.

When the soldiers disappeared behind the wall, Betsy was next to her teammates in a heartbeat.  _They're downstairs. I have the code for the elevator. I tapped into their surface thoughts while they keyed in the code. Should we follow them?_  Betsy asked telepathically.

Kurt gave her a dry look that clearly said she was insane  _not_ to, as Remy nodded once and the three of them made their way to the elevator. There was only one option for floors other than the one they started on, and they punched it in, pressing themselves to the wall when the door opened, only to find no one in the corridor.

They began to slink through the passageways. Betsy was reaching out for Logan, and perked up when she found him, leading the boys toward him through the shadows. They peeked into the room Logan was in – just as several men were strapping him into what looked like some sort of perverse electrical chair with leads and wires puncturing the back of his neck as they secured him. A faint click echoed in the chamber as they made some final adjustments, though through it all, Logan was calm, even as he faced a surgical table that K was strapped to.

Kurt reached for the door handle, but Betsy was quick to catch his wrist.  _We don't want to move when they're in a position to hurt them_ , she projected.

 _We don't know … you don't think that it's doing them harm to have something attached through their skin?_ Kurt challenged.

 _Can you teleport?_ Betsy challenged, though by the way Kurt's lip twitched, she already had her answer.  _We need to see how it is they've controlled him so we can_ stop  _it._

Kurt looked murderous and again his tail was switching angrily - the very tip of it flicking well beyond the swishes.  _Fine_.

Betsy let out a sigh, but her focus was still on reaching through the connection she shared with Logan to try and figure out what exactly was happening with him.

As they watched the goings on, the professor took a moment to look K over personally before giving a wave to someone in the control booth. The table she was on made all kinds of noise as leads similar to Logan's began to drill into her neck, only stopping after a few minutes of agony for K. The professor looked confused as he made his way over to investigate. She was still shaking as his men pulled her off the table and picked the hair up off her neck so he could cut into her. He dug around at the base of her skull for a moment, though that was enough to get Logan growling at him as he did so, even in spite of all that they'd done to him. When the professor clearly couldn't find what he wanted he walked around to look K in the face and slapped her hard.

"How did you get my biometric system out?" He was clearly furious as he hit her again. "Who removed it? Tell me what I want to know!" He backhanded her again, not having given her a moment to respond, though it was his clearly his own fault when the hard hit broke his hand. Only that seemed to make him that much angrier. "Strap her down. No anesthetic. She needs a new biometric control. Weld it to her spine if you have to," he barked, walking toward the door as Logan's growls echoed the room and the little trio of X-Men were forced to scatter for cover. "Make him watch. It's clear we can still use this for him."

A wave of white coats descended on the two bulk of them went to work forcing K onto the surgical table. They tied her tightly, wrenching her head into a nearly impossible to breathe position which offered full access to her spine and skull to the scientists while a trio of them made their way to Logan. They had jockeyed up a means to hold him perfectly still, putting drops in his eyes to prevent him from even blinking. They laid out the biometric control system for K as the device Logan was in fired up – preparing to use whatever happened to her as fuel for their system in place on Logan.

Logan's heart rate jumped when she started screaming and struggling as the microfilament wires seemed to move on their own, drilling into her neck. The filaments' progress was easily visible as it snaked down her spine. Her screams stopped for a few moments as it penetrated around the base of her skull, the tentacles of it slipping into the minute space where her spine and her skull met. She was limp as it continued its journey wrapping itself around her spine and down her shoulders and arms, individual splines slipping around the housings of her claws and deeply into the muscle tissue. All the while, Logan was having a borderline panic attack unable to do anything but watch as K flatlined. Again.

When K's heart rate returned, the doctors flipped her over again, her body still limp as they started up the machine. This time it caught the port hidden in her neck when it began to drill into her soft flesh. A muted 'click' echoed through the chamber a second time as the machine wound up, ready to start reprogramming her as it had already done to Logan.

"Aren't we supposed to weld it to her?" one of the white coats asked.

"I'm not going through all that. You  _can't_ weld to adamantium anyhow," the second doctor answered. "The professor's just … he's a little out of touch with things. Doesn't understand how the metal works."

When they were done with K, they unstrapped Logan who went to her quickly, nearly running over the lab assistants on his way to freeing her as well. K sat up slowly, looking dazed as Logan locked his gaze with her.

Outside the room, their friends watched wordlessly as K followed Logan. He gave her a uniform of sorts and the two of them walked out of the programming room, several doors down to a large conference room where the professor and Dr. Hines were seated. There was a large teleconference screen on the wall with members of the executive board of SHIELD on screen as the feral couple quietly entered and sat down next to each other.

"As you can see, Mr. Secretary, they are both completely under my control. They aren't fighting it at all," the professor said, gesturing proudly to the two recently seated ferals. "The Weapons are ready to be used however you see fit –  _if_ of course, you can pay my price."

* * *

There was a clear moment when the X-Men were sure they'd been caught - and it had been precisely when Professor Thornton had offered up the  _sale_ of the two ferals. Kurt absolutely could not control the growl, and Betsy barely got into his mind to force him to be docile long enough to get him away from immediate danger, though she was apologizing under her breath the whole way as she and Remy began their hasty retreat.

"At least this explains why I couldn't get through to him," Betsy said to the two men. "I can't fight biometrics with psychic power. And it's a damn good thing we didn't tip them off because we can't fight SHIELD if they're in on it either." She concentrated hard, trying to reach Warren and warn him about SHIELD's involvement. She'd barely done so when the alarm went off.


	4. Heroes Rescue

The little group had split up when the alarm sounded out and Betsy was quick to rouse Kurt again so that he wouldn't be in any  _further_ danger by not being aware. The three X-Men shared a glance and parted ways. Remy found a nook to hide in and Kurt had simply climbed the walls to where the shadows were more prominent between light fixtures. Betsy had managed to disappear into the shadows as the alarm continued to scream – or so she thought. She'd almost made it to the elevator when Logan got a hold of her and yanked her from the shadows backward. She swore as he pulled her by her hair and one arm, though her retaliation was swift. She managed to catch him with her psychic blade, putting her all into it as she angled it just so. She felt terrible doing it - but she couldn't see how else to  _stop_ him.

Logan stumbled just a few steps before he fell, eyes open in a daze, though that on its own was barely her chance to get away from him. "Run!" she shouted to her comrades in arms, but while Betsy had attacked Logan, Remy hadn't been so lucky. He didn't see all of what had happened to K. While Betsy and Kurt were watching what was happening in the room, Remy had been watching their backs.

So when K stepped out as he was fighting back the grunts that swarmed him, he didn't even  _know_ it was a mistake when he turned his back to her. A split second before she hit him, Kurt tried to call out a warning to Remy, but it was just too late. Remy cried out in shocked pain as K's claws erupted from high in his chest. He crumpled to his knees, bleeding and not at all prepared for the hit – she'd punctured a lung, and shocked him enough that he simply didn't react before he was overpowered by the ninjas around him.

Kurt had made his way over to them and was swearing to himself as he tried to get Logan to snap out of it. He hadn't  _seen_ Betsy attack him, and at the last moment, she was shouting for him to get to the elevator.

K glanced toward Logan, and on seeing him on the floor with Kurt over him, she let out a growl just before Kurt took off, angry and complaining about the tech in the building as he was forced to abandon his best friend. K looked beyond him to Psylocke. The elevator doors were closing as Kurt slipped in with her and their gazes met. Mind controlled or not, it was clear that she wasn't going to catch up to them in time.

Instead, K calmly walked to Logan, checked his pulse and headed back to the board room to report, though even that had her fighting the urge to look over her shoulder at where Logan was laid out. She informed the men in the room of how the alarm had ended, though she was watching all of them warily.

"They've slipped away then," the professor said with a disapproving scowl. "Take your mate back to your quarters and wait for my directions." By the time she got back to where Logan was still on the ground, the rest of the hall had more or less cleared. K took a moment to figure out how to get him up … and though he was heavy for her to move, once she had him leaned on her properly, she could at least manage it. It was slow, but … not beyond her. When they got to the little room, she dropped him on the bed and took a seat next to him as she waited for him to recover from the psychic assault. She wanted to try to help him more, but she honestly couldn't. Any impulses she had were things she couldn't act on. Not without an order. And when the door she'd just come through sealed shut with a final sounding snap, k took a precursory look around herself, at least able to see the cell for what it was.

* * *

Deadpool met the panicked duo of Psylocke and Nightcrawler on the roof of the building and couldn't help but point out the obvious. "Hey, you're short a Cajun and a pair of ferals. What happened?" he asked as she looked around nervously, finally able to contact Angel.

"I put him down. He won't be able to wake up until I rouse him. It was the only way I could circumvent the programming," Betsy said as she fiddled with her comm.

"Gambit or Wolverine?" Deadpool asked, honestly confused.

"Wolverine. Gambit is in their lab now, presumably. K stabbed him," she said, worry clear on her features.  _Warren, did you tell Charles? Do they know it's SHIELD?_ Betsy projected to Warren as he made his appearance nearby.

He nodded once in response, but it was clear by looking at him that Angel was ready to start the fight.  _Charles expected as much. They'd been acting too shady where K was concerned,_ Warren told her.

Deadpool watched the two of them for a moment before letting his whole body roll. "You do know that it's crazy rude to do the psychic lambada when people are present, right?"

"Be quiet, Wade," Betsy said with a somewhat fond smile. "We have to wait for our back up to show."

"Um … that's why I'm here, isn't it? Best backup for Betts?"

"Just keep watch, Deadpool," Warren bit out with an irritated tone that earned a cat-like yowl from Wade before he slipped off to a different vantage point. They hunkered down, praying that they didn't try to move any of their team mates until at least one of the teams could show up.

The first on the scene was Magneto and a couple of his Acolytes, though Betsy wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't a recruiting mission for him, all things considered. All th same … help was help, and if nothing else, than to keep him there, Betsy quickly informed them of everything.

"What is the plan then, Miss Braddock? I can end both of them right now from here without any further bloodshed," Magneto told her. He was calm, businesslike about it. "That  _is_ what you X-Men still preach isn't it? Minimal bloodshed?"

Betsy had to force herself not to snap at him. "That isn't what we need help with," she said evenly. We want them both back. They have children that need their parents."

Magneto gave her a disapproving look, not that she wasn't expecting it. "This is what you get when you trust humans. A family torn apart and the parents used as  _tools_ ," he scoffed. "How you can continue to be surprised by their barbarism I will ever understand."

Betsy steeled herself, mentally strapping in for what she was very sure was a long and detailed tearing down of all the things that the X-Men stood for, but blessedly, the Blackbird was there before Magneto could fully get into a groove. Betsy let out a sigh of relief before she simply started projecting out to Scott all that she'd seen and all that she knew. The entire team, short of only Charles, Jean, and Kitty made their way over quickly, and once they were filled in, Scott took a moment to weigh it out, working his jaw before he finally nodded once.

"Alright, Here's what we're looking at," Scott began "Both of them have been fitted with a biometric control system that apparently needs to be plugged in to 'refresh' every now and again. We knew that much from what Forge said from examining the one Kitty pulled from K the first time-"

"You mean you  _knew_ this was something they were doing and you didn't  _act_?" Magneto said with a clear scowl.

"We thought it was a prototype," Scott shot back, his jaw locked down tight. "It took ages for him to even get that far. It wasn't very friendly."

"Indeed," Erik said, eyes still narrowed as his focus turned toward the complex.

Scott let out a breath and tried to regain his momentum. " We don't know exactly how these controls work, or how  _well_ they work."

"They work far better than can be allowed," Kurt said, his fur standing up straight all down his spine.

Scott watched Kurt for a moment and then again, went back to the first plan. "The building - the system is incredibly complex and reaching. So, I've got a few thoughts ..."

With that, Scott launched into a very exacting plan on how to storm the place, take down anyone in their path, and "if the opportunity to kill Professor Thorton shows itself –  _take it,_ " Scott said. "This guy is just too slippery, and far too obsessed with finding new and horrible ways to manipulate Logan in particular. We need to take him out if we can, and just as importantly - take out his work too. We have Stark hacking into SHIELD as we speak. He's eradicating the information held there, looking into where the hard copies are – if there are any left. The Avengers working on this are doing it  _under_ SHIELD's radar. Fury is on our side. He'd been trying to fix his personnel problems from within – clearly it's further reaching than he initially realized. Go get em, and bring our guys back in one piece – breathing preferably."

"I thought X-Men didn't kill. How does Charles feel about this?" Magneto said, truly intrigued at Scott's direction.

"We're making an exception this time," Scott said evenly.

Magneto nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Because of the children impacted, I suppose."

"Among others," Scott replied before Magneto smirked and levitated a solid ten feet off the ground.

"Point of order," Deadpool said from just over Scott's shoulder. "I  _demand_ to see said tiny Wolverine babies."

"No," Scott said, staring resolutely forward as Wade bounced in place.

"I … respectfully  _request_ a picture or at least a glimpse of said ickle sweetums, then," Wade said, shifting his tone into one far less demanding.

"No," Scott repeated, and when Wade drew in a breath to ask for another version of the same, Scott cut him off. "Are you here to help or be a pain?"

"Do I get ot be an X-Man for the day?"

"Not on my watch," Scott replied, turning his way with an unreadable glare.

"I'll just … have to ask Logan then," Wade said, frowning before he headed off to the spot he'd picked, grumbling to himself about overprotective Cyclopes.

As Magneto began to focus, he stretched out his arm and peeled back the roof of the building. A moment later, all sorts of weaponry – swords, stars, knives, darts, guns – flew from the hands of every single ninja or soldier below them as Magneto massed it all into a large ball of highly magnetized metal which he then lobbed into the ocean nearby.

From there it was about as one sided as anyone could imagine. A the attack began, Magneto then concentrated hard, smugly smirking to himself as he began raising up the metal lined walls of the subterranean complex. The entire structure came up in a complete unit, shaking as Magneto raised it.

Though the battle sounded fierce, and chaos was raining down on the complex, K remained in the room while hell broke loose outside of it. She was still under orders to  _wait_  for Logan to awaken fully, and of course, being so close to being reprogrammed, it was next to impossible for her to even begin to disobey, so she was locked in the cell simply awaiting further instruction. Clearly, Professor Thornton hadn't thought that any real kind of backup would show so quickly, or that they'd appear so precisely on top of them. Sadly for him, the cell the pair of ferals was locked into was fairly close to the start of the fire fight, so it was next to impossible for Professor Thornton to get close enough to order them to fight back. He had been careful to keep them close at hand, he just … never expected for  _Magneto_ to step in, tear the roof off the building, and raise the metallic laden lower levels as he had done.

The point at which Magneto made an entrance to the now raised lower level was nearly on top of the two adamantium heavy ferals, but even he had to frown when he saw the docile, almost vacant stares and non-existent reaction to his appearance. When Kurt and Betsy opened the door, K finally reacted, snarling and ready to defend herself and Logan. As she lunged, Magneto again intervened, freezing her in place by her adamantium laced bones, then lifting Logan in a similar manner, levitating the pair of them out of the building and to the waiting blackbird while the rest of the team searched for Remy and utterly destroyed what they could in their search for  _more_ abducted mutants.

In the jet, Magneto helped Hank to manipulate K into restraints as she growled and snarled like a cornered beast. He forced her claws back into their housings as she tried and failed to struggle against his powers. He then bound her tightly before Hank tied her to a gurney in the back of the jet and still, K struggled against all of it, not recognizing her friends when she saw them.

"Do  _not_ release her anytime soon, doctor," Magneto said, one eyebrow raised as he watched her. She will kill the lot of you if you give her half a chance." As Hank tried not to be flippant, Magneto turned his attention to Logan's restraints, binding him in a similar manner, though perhaps a bit more tightly. When the team returned with Remy, Magneto returned to the site, and against Scott's requests to stop, he simply raised the entire complex, and focused hard as he crushed it into an impossibly small mass. Anything in the building that did not contain any metal was crushed beyond identification as the rebar, plating, and wires of the complex compressed in on itself, destroying all the data and computers along with any unfortunate human that simply didn't get out quickly enough.

For once, Scott chose to look the other way, unwilling to care too much for a group of people that were so willing to treat others in such a deplorable manner. Particularly with little kids to concern himself with.

Remy was trying to warn them on the flight back about what he'd seen, though his voice was weak and Betsy grew tired of K's fighting. As she tried to focus on Remy, Betsy turned to silence K exactly as she had Logan – using her psychic blade to render her useless.

"You Cain't just remove dat ting in dere," Remy whispered to Hank. "Gotta turn it off first – and get rid of what dey done already. You jes take it out, they gon'  _stay_ like that."

Hank's expression fell to one that was totally unamused. "Of course that's how it works. Someone just destroyed the machine that worked the device," Hank said, irritated at how again, Magneto's rush to flex his muscles blew up on them.

* * *

When the group landed in Westchester, the Howletts were put into the lone cell that they knew would hold Wolverine. They couldn't chance separating them for fear that one would break loose. Once they were safely inside and their restraints removed, Psylocke released the two of them, though no one knew what would happen next with their two friends.

But … both had technically been fighting when Betsy put them were put down, so both of them woke up swinging and snarling. On finding no other target, they simply began to fight each other until Jean quickly intervened with her telekinesis to hold them apart, though both of them were snarling and dripping blood.

"What are we supposed to do with this?" Scott blurted out, clearly upset. "We can't get them into their right minds without that stupid machine. Forge won't be able to access the device to see if  _his_ machine to override it will work, and if we leave the two of them like  _this_ , they'll kill each other!" He had his hands on his hips and the glow beneath his visor was more pronounced as his frustration rose.

Jean frowned at her husband's obvious distress and concentrated hard on the two ferals. It was hard during the best of conditions to get into either of their minds, but since neither of them was quite up to their usual speed, she managed to make reasonably short work of things. At first push, the pair of them relaxed slightly. Jean let their feet brush the ground before she started to concentrate on K, who after a few moments simply collapsed. Jean could sense it as Logan mentally panicked even as he still looked ready to tear her to pieces. Jean then focused on him with more effort until he too collapsed, asleep for the time being.

"Get the restraints back on. He didn't want to attack her, this is all part of the programming," Jean said as she turned to walk away. "Charles will be down soon, and hopefully he can find a way to fool them into following commands somehow. Right now, everyone that was involved in the extraction is painted as an enemy, which … is most of the team."

Scott let out a frustrated sigh as he stepped into the cell with the restraints in hand and Hank two steps behind him. She was right, of course. But more important than that,  _Jean, we can't let them be even_ see  _the kids until we fix this._

_I wasn't planning on letting that happen anyhow, Scott._

_No, I just mean … it's been nearly two weeks since they saw_ him _,_ Scott projected.  _We can't fix this fast enough._

Jean paused and turned to watch Scott. As usual, his features were nearly unreadable with so much of his face hidden behind his visor, but that which was exposed was an open book to her.  _I know you'll figure out how to fix this, Mr. Summers._

Scott paused and glanced up at her, taking just a moment to push his visor a little further up the bridge of his nose as he met her gaze.  _Still doesn't make it right in the meantime._

* * *

Logan was the first to wake up hours after Jean had put him to sleep. He looked around the cell he was in –and he honestly couldn't smell anything but K as she lay passed out on the floor across the room. His mind was racing with two lines of thought battling for supremacy. Part of him was screaming for her to get up, and to please not be hurt. The other was telling him to kill her. And when he saw Thornton standing outside of the cell, he slowly rose to his feet and began to head towards her.

"Stop, Weapon X," Thornton called out in a calm but authoritative tone. "She has done nothing wrong yet. Have a seat and remain calm, we need to make a few adjustments to your device." Of course, it wasn't Thornton, but Charles speaking as he projected the image of the 'other' professor into Logan's mind. Wordlessly, Logan simply obeyed the order, though his mind was racing and he was willing himself to find a way to break free of the hold over him.

As Logan battled with the controls, Forge walked in cautiously, more than a little shocked when Logan sank down to his knees and simply tipped his chin to his chest to give him access to the port. Jean and Magneto both were standing by, watching carefully and ready to immobilize him should he move in the slightest. Nervously, Forge attached his handheld reader to the port hidden in Logan's neck. Forge flinched when the soft click echoed the room and then let out a breath as he stood there a moment, scanning everything that the device held, as well as using his abilities to pick apart the makings of it. It took a few minutes of adjusting things here and there before he quietly asked for a computer from Scott.

Logan's jaw clenched and his hands flexed into fists as Forge routed a new cord in, feeling sick to his stomach that his friend was this badly violated. He held his breath as he hacked into the device and reversed all of the programming that had shown up on the reader. When Forge had finally finished, Logan's eyes were glassy and his entire body seemed to relax. Forge looked up at Charles and Jean then carefully shut down the device and removed the leads, only then backing away from his friend.

Jean lowered Logan to the ground, and all of them were clearly hoping that this would be all it would take to get him back. Before Forge could step out of the room, Scott made the decision to do the same to K before she could wake up. The two ferals slept there on the floor for hours after the reprogrammings were done, and their friends looked as if they were holding their breath waiting to see if some background program was going to kick in rather than work with what Forge had  _asked_ of the devices. For nearly twelve hours, the only movement in the cell was the two of them breathing. And all the while, Jean and Charles monitored their thoughts, urging them to awaken.

* * *

They were starting to get anxious, wondering if they'd made some misstep, and Hank was just leaving the cells to call Tony Stark to ask him to help when Logan finally woke up. At first, he simply laid still - only his eyes open as he tried to take stock of his surroundings, already much more like himself just from the pure inaction on waking up in a strange place, and to her utter relief, Jean could find no trace of the second thought stream in his mind.

"Are you alright?" Jean asked him cautiously.

Logan looked around the room, his anxiety growing until his focus landed on K. "She alright?" Logan asked, his mouth dry, though if it was from the ordeal or the idea that he'd hurt her …

Jean nodded at that. "She's alright, Logan. But still sleeping. I need to know about you though. How are you doing?"

"I hurt her, didn't I?" he said quietly, staring blankly at K as she slept on and blatantly ignoring Jean's question. His memories during his time that he was gone were fuzzy at best.

"Do you think you hurt her?" Jean asked.

He met her gaze for a long moment, and the lack of an answer honestly gave Jean a chill.

"We're going to keep you in observation for a few days, Logan. We need to be  _sure_ that there is no latent programming before we allow you to roam the mansion again. The same will be true for K," Charles said when neither Logan or Jean had anything to say.

Logan nodded grimly as he stared at his bare feet. "How are the little ones?" he asked quietly as Jean turned to leave.

"They're doing just fine. Kitty is with them," she answered. But before he could say another word, she answered his yet unasked question. "You can't see them yet. I won't let either of you near them until I'm completely convinced you won't hurt them." Jean had a firm and final tone to her voice that Logan was honestly glad to hear. Even if it didn't stop it from being a blow. H swallowed hard and leaned against the nearest wall. There was nothing else for him to do now but wait and think of how badly he'd screwed up this time.

K slowly woke up a few hours later. Jean's suggestion to sleep hit her much harder than it had Logan, likely from the fact that she'd just had the stupid device in not long before the raid happened. It was traumatic in and of itself … to have the rescue happen before she'd healed right too … She felt groggy and achy, and when she turned to find Logan staring at her from the other side of the cell, she visibly paused.

Betsy was nearby observing when Logan got to his feet, crossed the cell, and offered K his hand. She watched him warily for what seemed like a very long time to him before she carefully reached out and took his offered hand. Logan couldn't help the little smile at the corner of his mouth as he gently pulled her to her feet.

K studied him for just a moment and when he reached out to put his hand at her waist, her lip curled up and she knocked his feet out from under him.

"I'm sure I deserve that." he said, as soon as he was flat on the ground and K was standing over him. "You wouldn't mind telling me what I did, would ya?" he asked.

K narrowed her eyes at him, reliving the moment in his cell where she kicked off the fight - tired of being manhandled. "You scared the hell out of me. I don't like having to fight you, and I sure as hell don't like fighting you naked," she snarled before she drew back to hit him, though she stopped when she saw the honest smile he was wearing.

"I dunno, that sounds like it can't be that bad," he teased.

K paused and took a step back, her arm still drawn back. "For you maybe," she countered, though she didn't so much as blink as he got back to his feet.

"Wanna have a do-over?" he said with a smirk.

"Sure," K said, still looking angry. "You get to be the one with the pants off next time."

"Done and done," Logan replied, a touch of amusement dancing behind his eyes.

"Oh, shut  _up_ ," K said, though it was clear to her at least that he was getting back to himself - even if she felt awful.

"I fought the commands," Logan told her as he stepped closer. "Might not have done a great job, but I was fightin' em."

"Yeah? I'm pretty sure you owe Kurt some time in the Danger Room," K told him, though she let him get a little closer.

"I was supposed to really work you over," he said as he got close enough for her to put her hands on his chest. "They ordered me to break you, but I fought it. I just can't remember what I actually did though."

"You scared the hell out of me is what you did," K said. "Made me strip down, pinned me in the cell … which was why I punched you in the throat and tried to kick a field goal with your boys. And that was  _after_ you played three claw monte with me."

At that, Logan let out a breath and stepped back. "I don't remember any of that," he breathed out. "Sweetheart -"

"Don't start," K warned just before Jean made her presence known. K gave Logan one last glare before turning toward Jean. "You can get me out of here, can't you?"

But Jean shook her head. "K, I can't. This is the only cell that will hold you. Or him. You're both stuck for a few days," Jean replied. K glared at her for a moment. "You've been traumatized. And we need to remove what they put into both of you."

K stared at her in disbelief. "Then at least let us see the kids," K said, her arms crossed and her jaw set as Logan made his way over to stand next to her.

But Jean slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, K, I am. But neither of you can't see them until we know there's no way you'll hurt them."

It took a moment for the reality of it to sink in and Jean watched as K's expression went from shock to snarl, and just before K could attempt her attack, Logan reached out and grabbed her, his arms wrapped around her middle as he pulled her away from Jean. It was a near thing, too - the energy barricade bent dangerously as before Logan could pull her back from charging Jean.

"Wrong way to break it to her, Jeannie. You know what they say about getting between a mama bear and her cubs? Well – that's why right here. Go on. We gotta have a talk alone," Logan said, taking control of the situation as he kept K in a tight hold. Jean and Betsy shared a look then slipped away from the room, leaving K and Logan to talk alone.

"Woman," Logan said as she fought against his hold. "Calm the hell down and listen to me." K was shaking, she was so mad. "You're gonna hurt yourself if you keep it up. Now  _listen_ to me. I know you're mad at me. I'm sorry I scared you, but you don't have to act like this. I'm not ever gonna purposely hurt you, even if I did when I wasn't in my right mind." She blinked rapidly as she started to calm down, breathing deeper. "Good, you  _are_ listenin'. Just breathe, darlin'." He gave her a few moments then let his voice drop to a smoother tone. "I need to be sure you're with me for this next part."

K started to take deep breaths, trying to calm herself, and knowing damn well he wouldn't simply let her loose until he was convinced she wouldn't fight him again. After a few minutes, she incrementally relaxed, finally exhaling a deep breath and nodding her head.

"You know I love you too much to let you quit, or to let you tear up people that aren't askin' for it. Like it or not, we took  _vows._  We have to do this together," he said.

K finally looked him in the eyes, having avoided doing just that until then, and realizing  _what_ exactly he was so stressed out about.

"I wasn't going to  _leave_ you, I'm just  _mad_ ," she said quietly. "I love you too. More, probably," she said, with a little smirk. "Even when you're being an idiot puppet boy."

Logan tried and failed to school his smirk."You gonna punch me if I kiss you now?"

K pointedly looked at how he had her pinned down and raised an eyebrow at him. "Depends on how well you kiss me," she replied.

When Jean checked in on them a short while later, they were cozied up together, sitting on the floor, leaning against the corner of the cell, with Logan wrapped around her from behind, his arms and legs around her as she leaned into his chest.

"Jeannie, think we can get a few blankets in here? K's a little cold," Logan asked quietly - and after he'd mentioned it, Jean could clearly see that K's was shivering, even as she soaked up Logan's body heat.

Jean didn't wait to be asked twice and rushed off to bring them what they needed. She didn't want to tell them just then that between Forge, Stark, and Charles it was determined that the two of them would need to remain in the cell for almost another week, instead of the two days they'd originally anticipated. They needed more intel on the activated control system before it was removed from them – and then another two or three days back in the cell while they observed the couple for trouble.

But for now, she let them try to bounce back a little as they took care of each other.


	5. Instincts

Magneto was on hand to assist in removal of the controls that had been implanted into the two ferals. Kitty planed to again attempt to phase them out, but Eric would be waiting to hold them still or finish the job should there be any problems. Logan insisted on going first and to save herself nightmares, K didn't watch from the cell – she couldn't. Instead, she had to sit there and wait for them to do their work before they came for her. But fifteen minutes after Logan left, Jean came for K to try and cheer her up. Almost a week had passed since they'd come home - and preliminary analysis from Stark and the other big brains was as complete as it could be without the devices in front of them. But that didn't stop Logan and K from feeling more than a little lost as they waited in isolation purgatory away from their kids.

"Scott is planning on bringing Abbey down to see you guys in a little while. The twins are asleep, but when they wake up, we'll sneak them down too. They miss you," Jean told her, hoping to placate her a little. K didn't know it but Logan was already undergoing several scans directed by Hank. While they waited, the two women tried to chat a bit - and Jean was sure to fill K in on all the news of what had been going on with the twins, Abbey, and Rachel, too.

When the team was finished with Logan, it was clear that he was dizzy, but otherwise seemed himself until he turned his head toward his K as Jean brought her out for her turn. He didn't mean to watch, but once he saw them start with K, he couldn't tear his eyes away. He stared in shock at the sheer amount of tiny cables and wires that they pulled from her … though the ones that clearly had been into her brain caused him the most concern as they writhed against themselves as Kitty pulled them out, though the expression on her face couldn't have been more concentrated disgust if she'd tried. As he watched Kitty remove the last of it, Logan finally spoke up.

"Check for nanobots, Hank," Logan said suddenly, which, of course drew everyone's attention to him. "If those things are moving and squirmin' on their own – even when they're off, you better check for other garbage that might be floatin' around."

Hank gave Logan a patient sort of smile at that. "Of course that's on my to-do list, my old friend," Hank replied. "I'm sure there was some sort of back up should their nightmarish system fail."

Logan blew out a breath as he leaned back. It was just getting started, but this promised to be a long day of tests – if they could even do all of them today.

While the Howletts waited on the initial results, Eric came and sat near K, watching her closely as she curled in on herself. She didn't pay him any attention at first - more than a little out of sorts from all the excitement, but finally, she realized his focus was on her when he spoke.

"We've found a rather large file on you in that complex," Erik started gently. "Charles will be speaking with you about it quite soon, I'm sure." From the other side of K, Logan watched Erik warily as K listened to him. "I'd like very much if you'd allow me to sit in for this discussion."

K, of course, knew little of Magneto's crusade against humanity. She only knew that he had a working relationship with those that the X-Men considered combatants. She turned to Logan for guidance, sensing his uneasiness. She was more curious than she was concerned though as she finally nodded silently. Eric gave her a sad, yet almost triumphant smile before thanking her and leaving the couple alone.

As soon as Erik was gone, Logan kissed the side of her head. "Curiosity killed the cat, darlin'," he said quietly.

She smirked as she wrapped her arms around his waist, halfway into his lap by then. "What can I say? Meow," she replied. "I just don't know what he'd have to add, and I think Charles would filter it. There has to be more to this than we've been told."

A few moments later, Hank came and sat down heavily in the chair he pulled up in front of them. "You both have several tracking devices, and a few … items that I'm not entirely sure of what exactly they might be. So, who's first?" Hank asked unceremoniously, clapping his hands together.

Both of them shared a look, but before she could answer, Logan leaned forward to steal a kiss. "I'll find out how bad it is. Crack Henry in the face if need be."

"Yeah, I'm sure that'll fix everything," K deadpanned as the two men left her sitting on the bench to wait.

Less than an hour later, though, both Logan ad K were cleared of all devices and nanobots - which …. Magneto ended up helping to remove, though removing them proved to be the most disturbing and painful of all the procedures the pair went through that day. They were all the more upset then, while cleaning up the blood from their battered bodies when they were informed they had to stay another couple days until they were sure there would be no after effects.

"Days?" Logan half-snarled. "You're kidding, right? We're already healed!" It was clear his patience was officially worn to shreds.

"I'm sorry Logan, but we need to be sure. What if there's some latent programming we missed? What if the little ones are hurt because of it?" Jean asked. "I'll bring them down in a little while. I know it's probably overkill, but I just want to be sure. You know we love them, too. I just want to know you aren't triggered to hurt them." She looked honestly apologetic as she left the pair of them fuming in the cell. It was the first time in Logan's memory when he actually wanted to smack her. And if the thought wasn't there before, the question on if they'd hurt their own children was weighing heavily on their minds now.

And aside from feeling as if their kids were being held over their heads like a prize, the truth was that they had no privacy in the cell. Even with their best efforts to keep distance for captivity's sake, they'd wake up curled up together, automatically snuggled up and easily slipping into 'carried away' only to remember where they were and stop, knowing that there was always someone watching as long as they were locked up. To make matters worse, the only way they could keep it together was to nuzzle into each other, which only led to more trouble. The stop and go, was wearing on both of them, but Logan far more so. He was starting to get a little tense, and his temper was short. Though it didn't help when K simply pointed out that he was the one initiating most of their contact, and almost always the one to stop it too.

The real problem was that witnesses or no, it was still going to be a couple days before he'd be allowed out to run or train or do … anything outside of the cell, and he'd refused to spar with her. Especially since every time they sparred in the cell, one would end up pinning the other and things would begin to unravel into … well. Definitely not sparring.

As Jean had promised, they got to see the little ones. Jean brought them down with Scott - and though they could see them, the energy barrier remained in place, separating the ferals from their kids. It was painfully clear that Scott didn't like that decision, though and more than once, Logan caught Jean giving him a look of clear warning. It clearly wasn't quite enough to Scott or Abbey, and the little girl didn't understand why she couldn't stay with her mom and dad. So it was no shock really, when she finally got angry with Scott and pulled hard on Jean's hair with a little growl. She didn't have much she could do to argue but she still managed to get her point across crystal clear, and in spite of being one of her targets, Scott looked almost proud of her for her defiance.

The next few days were miserable and upstairs, Magneto refused to leave until he could hear what K had to say to Charles. And of course, he also refused to go anywhere near the cells to make the meeting happen quicker – concerned that it may be a trick to capture him. Which really only meant that their talk was put on hold until the couple was cleared.

Which meant one more night of waiting before they could get out of the cell. Optimistically. But that had both of them tigher than bowstrings as they paced. There was no way they were going to get through another long night while being stuck so close to the kids.

Logan was growling and pacing a path, looking ready for a fight when K tipped her head to the side to really watch him. At first she was irked that he was sucking up all the frustration for himself, but then … she started to really watch the way he was moving … and her eyebrow went up as she leaned back and smirked.

Logan paused and turned her way, only to stop and do a double take on seeing her expression. "What?"

"Enjoying the parade," K replied without missing a beat.

Logan chuffed at that and started to pace again, though he didn't make it more than a couple passes before he stopped again and held her gaze. "We can't do anything in here."

"If you say so," K shot back, though she let the statement hang on its own as Logan thought it over.

"I'm not startin' somethin' up."

"Okay," she said, letting her smirk grow into a smile. "I can."

When Hank made his way to check on the condition of his two reluctant patients, he was more than a little surprised, and very nearly dropped his clipboard when he found them, barely covered, hopelessly tangled together and into a fairly advanced state of heavy petting. He blushed purple as he backed away, unwilling to step into that particular ball of trouble. Though Hank had to smile to himself a little. It had taken this long for them to break down to their usual ways … which was kind of what Hank preferred to see, considering that usually by this far into a captive stretch, Logan would have been positively crawling the walls had he been alone … Either way … Hank wasn't going to stop them. Not when they clearly needed to relax.

Which was why Jean ended up coming into the lab a few hours later. "Why haven't you let them out yet? Charles needed to talk to them before classes start tomorrow," Jean asked as she sat down next to him. "Was there a problem? Did we miss something?"

"Indeed I have missed something. A bit too much, to be honest. In fact, I haven't even told them they can go," He paused and looked at her over the top of his half moon glasses. "They were a bit preoccupied when I came in this morning."

Jean goggled at him for a moment before she broke into a smile. "Really? They were kind of … um … curled up when I saw them after dinner,." she informed him, closing her eyes as she decided it better to reach out to them, then blushing herself when she opened them back up. "We're just going to have to break them up."

"Be my guest. There is no way that you could talk me into that job," Hank replied over his glasses.

Jean opened the door to where the holding cells were. The pair was quiet, but clearly they were involved. "K – Logan?" Jean smiled when her voice didn't slow them down. She covered her eyes when she saw a glimpse of the two of them tangled up. "I know you're busy, but ah… the kids are looking for you."

That got K's attention. It had been two days since Jean had brought them down to see their parents and Jean had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing outright at the series of growls and a heavy thump followed by Logan swearing before K called out to her.

"Just …. Oops, sweetheart … I'll just...unlock the door, Jean. We'll be up …" Laughter echoed from the cell along with Logan's growl before K continued. "Ow! Hey … as soon as we ….."

Jean glanced back over her shoulder to see the two of them wrapped up in a kiss as she hit the button to unlock the door, leaving it open as she turned and walked away, snickering to herself.

The reunion with the kids at the boathouse was one of the sweetest, most cheerful things that the Summers family had seen in a while. The Howlett kids were overjoyed to be with their parents. Abbey had cried for days after having her father disappear, then after not being able to see her mother too for what seemed like to her lit a really really long time?

Yeah, the total 'attach' that the little girl had to both of her parents was exactly the reassurance that was needed. Jean knew Abbey had been truly scared she'd lost them both, and the fact that the little girl had already had a scare with her mother once already …

The twins insisted on snuggling with mom and dad, only stopping to reaching for one or the other until Logan put his arm around K and pulling her close enough on the couch that all three could snuggle both of them. The conversation was strictly lacking while Logan held James and K held Rose with Abbey nestled between them. But it wasn't too long before the little ones fell asleep from all the excitement. Their grateful parents laid them down in their bedroom, with Abbey in their bed and the twins in the crib nearby.

Jean had simply smiled along with Rachel snoozing on her shoulder - and Scott had been sure to throw some dinner on the grill so that the four of them could sit down to chat about how the kids had done as a group. It was likely the most reasonable thing that they'd done since this fiasco had started, so of course, their bliss was interrupted with a quiet knock on the front door as Charles and Eric came to have their discussion with the two ferals on their findings.


	6. Don't Poke The Bear

Logan's hand was squeezing K's as they discussed what they knew and what they didn't with Charles, Erik, Jean, and Scott. K hadn't really heard much of what Charles and Erik had to say after they told her that K had been in Weapon X's hands - the first time - much longer than she'd thought. Some of their files had been found, simply because Weapon X had used both her and Logan's files in  _marketing_ them to SHIELD … and others.

But K wasn't really able to focus on their conversation. Her memories were smashed together, pieces were missing. She wasn't exactly surprised to hear that they'd used her for testing  _other_ possible candidates before she'd shown her claws. Apparently there was video they'd recovered of almost all of their experimentations, including the one they'd recorded at her adamantium procedure – including Logan's reactions.

More upsetting than that, however was the extensive notes that had been taken on her gene structure, even corroborated with research that Dr. Essex had done on Logan years ago, even mapping the two together for possible outcomes. There were documents that showed that she'd been actively marketed as a commodity by the professor. Apparently his version of learning from his mistakes with Logan was more twisted than K could have given him credit for and if the washed out shade both Summers were was any indication of their thoughts on the matter, K was very sure that someone was going to try to  _talk_ to her later.

The files that Charles had handed her proved that Thornton had no intention to use her as a weapon once he'd seen the claws. The training and the forced missions … torture tests they'd done on her …. All of it was purely to test her limits. To  _know_ what she brought to the table. Had she died, they'd have known she was an inferior  _product_. And more recently - since she'd started up with Logan … Thornton's sole intention outside of using her as a demonstration of his 'product potential' was purely to bait Logan and keep him in line. The notes showed that he couldn't possibly have been more tickled when they realized the two had bonded. She was the in. She was the means to manipulate him – the way to force him to submit to what they'd wanted from him in the first place.

K's hearing seemed to fuzz out after Eric had told her they were actively marketing their  _children_. Not the ones they had already – somehow Abbey and the twins had come into the world under their radar - No, they were advertising for the highest bidder to place an order for their own little weapon that they could raise as they saw fit. The idea had both of them well beyond the precipice of simple rage and K really couldn't focus until  _finally_ , Erik's voice cut through the din.

"The word is out, I'm afraid," Eric said as K pinched the bridge of her nose and Logan began absently rubbing her back. "It will only be a matter of  _time_ before any one of the many interested parties decides to make a move. If they see those little ones, they  _will_ be taken from you."

For a brief moment, the house was silent and Charles looked both mournful and livid all at once.

"Like hell they will," Logan growled out, and it seemed that he and Scott were of the same mind frame as Scott nodded seriously, his jaw set.

K looked up at Erik finally, walking the tightrope between rage and being almost despondent before she turned her attention to Charles. "So what do we do with this, Charles?" K asked. "Tell me what you think we need to do, because what I have in mind, you will  _not_ approve of."

Charles' mouth tightened and for a long while, it was clear that he didn't  _want_ to speak up.

"What do you have in mind, my dear?" Eric asked as he turned to K, his eyes sparkling as if he already had a decent idea.

K gave Logan's hand a squeeze, but didn't bother to consult. "Give me your list," K replied, locking gazes with him. "You know what I can do, if you read my files."

Erik smiled in return. "Charles of course, would never approve," Erik said, barely tipping his head Charles' way as he kept his focus on K. "But considering the outstanding circumstances, I most certainly do. Use your  _demonstrative_ training against them." He turned to Logan. "And what about you? What do  _you_ propose?"

Logan's mouth was drawn as he saw the focus practically rolling off of his wife. She wasn't  _aware_ of the rocky history between himself and Magneto … and now most certainly wasn't the time to bring it up. "She's not gonna go alone," he replied. "I won't let her go near them without backup. Can't be losin' my wife after all we've had to put up with already."

Eric nodded, clearly looking pleased. "I was  _hoping_ you'd say that." His tone was low and rich as a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched K's reaction. "I've already arranged for you to have assistance from us if you would like it. We'd like to keep tabs on your progress either way." He looked almost reasonable as he gave Logan an almost wide-eyed look that didn't match the malice to his tone. "The last thing any of us need is for the pair of you to go missing into one of their  _labs_."

The tone … that was enough on its own to get K to glance at Charles. Before she could say a word, though, Charles lifted his hand with a sigh. "For the first time in years, old friend, I'm afraid I have to agree." He turned toward Logan and K. "The children are in danger as long as they are looking for you. Not only yours either. Nothing would stop these people from attempting to pick up not only Rachel, but my students as well. Jean, Kitty and I will stay together with the little ones while you two secure their future. I would suggest you try to prepare Abbey before you leave, however. I will help to explain it to her, but you  _will need_ to make sure she understands before you leave again."

K blew out a breath and looked over to Scott this time. "How long do you think we have?" K asked.

"A week, perhaps," Erik cut across Scott. "A week before one of them makes a move."

K didn't need to see all of Scott's features to see his jaw clench and the color rise up in his cheeks slightly. "What happened to the tracking devices you got off of us?" K asked, ignoring how Erik was clearly trying to bait her.

"We disabled them and gave them to Forge." Scott answered tightly. "I'm going to want to-"

"Turn 'em on," K said. "Turn 'em on and give them to me. Otherwise, they'll go to the place they were last working – which is here. Let me have them. I'll set them up somewhere that I've got an advantage."

"What are you thinkin' darlin?" Logan said, the ghost of a smirk on his face finally, knowing full well she likely had something horrible in mind for the soldiers that would hunt her.

* * *

It only took a few days for K and Logan to find a reasonable area to screw with Weapon X. K was up a tree, watching the big black bear she had just wrestled with amble away. Logan was next to her, holding on to her as they watched the boar snort and huff.

"Where's you think he's headed?" Logan asked quietly with a smirk. He'd laughed when she first told him her plan. It was simple, and frankly, believable for the kind of territory they both liked to traverse.

"Probably the swamp over that way," K replied as she wiped the blood off her face, nodding the direction she was guessing. "It's a really good area for him to bed down. The big ones have always liked it there." She had gotten the bear to eat the tracker without really  _hurting_ it, even though the bear had done his best to tear into her for messing with him. The trick of it was that he had to swallow it whole – no  _crunching_ or it would wreck the tracker and their misdirection wouldn't work.

And Eric had already confirmed that what little remained of the Weapon X department was on their way once the device had turned on again. The idea was that the bear would draw them away, 'drop' the tracker somewhere hard to get to and they could get the jump on the soldiers to work their way up to the top of the crap heap, so to speak.

Until then, Logan and K stayed tucked away, out of sight, in the trees mostly as she showed him around her turf. He was starting to like watching her move through the trees, especially when she ditched the boots to go barefoot. Her uniform had taken a beating from the bear, and it was clear she did better barefoot in the trees than fighting with boots. He smirked as he watched her looking out into the darkness and reached over to slip his hand under the fabric of her uniform top from behind her, sliding his hand across her stomach under the cloth, and pulling her tightly to him with a smirk. She smiled to herself and leaned into him as he leaned on the tree trunk, the entire tree swaying gently in the breeze.

"Later, hot stuff. Don't need them catching us with our pants down," she whispered as he nipped at her ear, though he was nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah, yeah. Just provin' you right. Can't keep my hands off," he teased with a grin before he let her lean away from him. She needed to get him somewhere better hidden where they could watch for soldiers. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

It was still a couple hours before the two ferals watched the soldiers circle the swamp, their assault rifles were at the ready as they closed their circle. Their scanner picked up their signal on the tracking device as the men following it relayed their positions back to their base. "…  _tracking device hasn't moved for over two hours. We're closing in on her now. Fire at will when you see her. You can't trust this one."_

Logan flipped the switch on the little hand held device that Forge had sent with them that killed all wireless communications for over a mile around them after he heard that message. "Can't trust her," he said, shaking his head. Logan took some pleasure in making it impossible for them to radio for back up.

K smirked at him and squeezed his thigh, nodding to her left where an arc of soldiers began to close in on the tracking device that had suddenly gone dead. The troops were on high alert, but not one of them was looking up in the trees. It simply wasn't the way that Logan worked, and they'd never tracked  _her_ like this before.

After the soldiers passed under them, the couple silently slipped down the tree, stalking forward to cut them down as they went. They slipped behind them as they split up, planning to meet on the opposite end of their circle. K passed the bear she'd wrestled with earlier as he snuck out of the swamp – their expected visitors must have gone directly through his 'bedroom'.

Logan and K worked in unison, dropping one soldier after another until they met the last two, who spotted each other as they closed the circle. "Why isn't anyone answering our radio calls? What happened?" one of them whispered to the other as they moved forward wide eyed.

"Don't worry about it. The boss said that happens up here sometimes. Something to do with some old military experiment they did up in these woods. Screws up all kinds of signals. Just shoot the hell out of her when we see her," the second replied. Clearly he was either more experienced, or just cocky.

Logan couldn't wait to get a hold of him.

"Aren't we supposed to give her a chance to surrender?" the younger one asked though that only got his partner to scoff.

"Why bother? Save yourself the trouble and shoot her. They said she'll heal anyhow."

At that, K lunged forward silently, then yanked his rifle from him and slashed his throat as his partner turned to watch him as he fell. His mouth dropped open in a horrified and silent scream as he fumbled to aim his gun at her. Before he could get anywhere close though, Logan took him down, slashing the rifle into pieces before he pinned him to the ground. K made sure his partner was facing him as he bled out, her foot on the side of his head before the soldier in Logan's grip looked up to see Wolverine glaring at him.

"What's the contingency?" Logan growled out to the young soldier petrified underneath him.

When the young man didn't answer, Logan and K locked gazes and she nodded once. A moment later, Logan put his fist under the man's chin, and popped one of the outer claws. "Contingency. Now," he growled out before slowly popping the second outer claw.

"Second wave! There's a second wave – they have dogs with them. They'll sweep one hour from when we lost our signal. Please, don't kill me!" the man nearly screamed out, too scared to move as Logan scented out if he was lying.

"Anything after that?"

"I …. I don't know. I'm new. Please.  _Please_ don't' kill me."

Logan carefully schooled the smirk and instead narrowed his eyes at the guy. "But if I let you  _go_ , you're bound to tell your superiors about us. And I can't have you hunting my wife anymore," Logan growled out low.

"Please – I won't bother another mutant for the rest of my  _life_. I swear to you,  _please_. I never liked this job." The man was shaking uncontrollably as Logan considered him carefully.

"You can go on  _one condition_. If I ever scent you anywhere near any kind of military outfit or research lab or anything like it, I will gut you and let you bleed – you hear me boy?" Logan growled out low, and before Logan had even finished speaking, the young man was already agreeing, afraid to shake his head lest he cut his own throat. As Logan retracted his claws, he punched the guy squarely, smashing his nose and fracturing his cheekbones before he stood, leaving the unconscious man where he laid.

With a shared glance, the couple took back to the trees, moving back around to where the platoon had come in the first time, waiting to see if the next wave would do the same. First came the dogs, but Logan didn't worry about them. The handlers and the much larger second wave came next, easily double what it was the first time, flooding the forest as they fanned out. Which only meant it was time for the sneaky routine again. They repeated their performance, working in tandem until one of the dogs caught up with them.

The dog started out growling until Logan leveled with it and growled back, silencing the beast and causing him to tuck tail ad abandon his quest entirely, quietly whimpering as it left the chase entirely. "Seems the animal's smarter than his handlers," Logan whispered to K, who couldn't help but smirk at him. When they got down to the last of the second wave, they questioned their last guy as they had the first.

"No one knows what we're looking for – this is the first I've seen you, we're just hunting the device. That's what we were told to find," the soldier said, completely unrepentant. K watched him for a moment and in a bit of inspiration, or madness, she knelt next to her husband before tearing open the soldier's shirt. He had no tattoos, and was fairly hairy chested. She smirked then continued stripping him down to both men's confusion. When he was entirely nude, she had Logan flip him onto his stomach and popped one claw. As the guy was quietly panicking, she pulled out the second tracking device, then activated it before cutting a small incision and shoving the device up under the man's ribs near his spine. She then punched him in the throat and leaned in close as he gasped.

" _Run_. They're coming for you," she whispered as Logan couldn't help but smirk to himself. The man quickly realized what she'd done and panicked, unable to reach the tracker she'd lodged in his body. "Good luck explaining who you are," she said as she and Logan backed away, disappearing into the woods again. The once stalwart soldier was a frantic mess. He tried to call out for help, but the punch she'd landed was solid and he found himself without a voice. He ran like a mad man, crashing through the brush trying to shout out his squeaky commands as the couple found a perch nearby.

Logan and K watched from a safe distance as gunfire erupted and the soldier's own troops cut him down in a hail of bullets. When the gunfire died down, the troops quickly realized they were outclassed by the duo and after a fairly quick search, they simply retreated - shaken by the little trick that the ferals had used on them.

* * *

The next two weeks were more or less just like that as the two Howletts gradually worked their way up the ladder. And eventually, they found the offices of Professor Thornton and his associates. Nervous about that part of the job, K had taken an image inducer from the mansion before they left, and as she walked into his office for a low level secretarial position, she looked like a little curly haired redhead with heavy freckles. On her third day there,she let a Mr. Howlett in to see Thornton for a donation meeting.

She'd smirked as Logan walked past her - in a suit- and as soon as the doors to Thornton's office closed, K locked them and cut the power to that entire block of offices.

By the time Logan and K left the offices, Logan had  _finally_ after years of irritation and torment ended the bald headed, hook-armed little man. He'd been sure to wait this time until his heart had stopped before he took the extra step of liberating his head from his body. With K's help, they took apart the office, burning all the papers and files on everything from the Weapon X project. They kept only their own information to go over and then burn together later.

And now that the three worst perpetrators from the project were gone – the professor, Hines and Dr. Cornelius – the little couple headed back to Westchester to see who else was on the list.

When they returned, they were pleasantly surprised to find that Magneto had gone after a group in China and Scott had talked to his brother, Alex to make sure that X-Factor took on the Washington connection. Deadpool had  _begged_ to be let in too, and with the help of X-Force, he took care of Russia. The Avengers stepped out of SHIELD jurisdiction and took out the knowledgeable parties in Madripoor and North Korea with Cap at the helm while Iron Man weeded out where SHIELD was associated and began altering files. All to the Logan and K's complete shock.

Suddenly, SHIELD's records of the on paper success of the project was now showing as completely infeasible and  _dangerous_ to the general public if implemented. There was little left now but to sit back and wait.

Which was, for once, a welcome change for the the little Howlett family.

"I don't suppose you'd let me make you and your little family dinner?" K offered as she took James from Scott. "Least I can do for all the work you've been up to while we've been gone."

Scott smirked at that. "I think with all the work you two have been doing, we'd be smart just to order out. If you want to spend some time with the kids, Jean and I will pick it up."

K smirked and turned to Logan, who could only nod his agreement. "Can't believe I'm sayin' it - but that sounds like the best damn plan you've come up with yet, Slim."


	7. Welcome Back

The evening after K and Logan returned from their vendetta quest, the little family was graced by a visit from a very anxious looking Kitty Pryde-Rasputin. She was unsettled and tense … and antsy.

Of course, K waved her in, concerned that she might be having trouble so close to her due date … or that the baby might be on its way a little sooner than Kitty was expecting. "What's goin' on, punkin'?" Logan asked as she made her way over to the couch and very carefully sat down.

"Oh… just really tired of being left behind."

"You do know you have to get the baby out first, right?" K teased.

"I know, I just … don't want to be at the house right now, okay?" Kitty frowned deeper for a moment - and that had both ferals sharing a look and Kitty's entire disposition seemed to be crumbling into more panic.

"Why aren't you with Hank?" Logan asked, much more alarmed as she tried desperately to calm herself down and he got close enough to get a decent whiff of her. It was quickly very clear that she was in the middle of a contraction by the way she was trying to squirm away from the pain in her back. When it passed she answered him as he tried to get her more comfortable, rubbing her back and working on a few pressure points.

"He's on a mission," Kitty said sounding more upset. "I didn't tell him I thought I was in labor … there's been so many false starts …"

"Yeah, you should have said something," Logan told her as he looked up at K, and she picked up the comm to talk to someone at the house.

"Celia's supposed to be on her way, but I don't know when she's supposed to be here," Kitty replied. There were tear tracks down her face and she was shaking, but there wasn't much they could do - and they were not going to try to make her move when she was in so much pain.

"Just relax if you can, punkin'," Logan said.

K was waiting for Hank to get back to her when Kitty's water broke."A couple hours out?" K said in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"We're doing all we can to get back faster," Hank promised. "Kurt has been knocked unconscious, but honestly- Celia is supposed to be there soon."

K looked at Logan with a deadly serious expression. The kids were had been already put to sleep in their beds. "We have to get her up there."

"No – I can't. I can't walk that far," Kitty said as the next one hit - clearly stronger than the one before. "I've tried. I was out at the barn. No one's around really around … all on that mission." K could see that Kitty was worn already. And that was not a good sign.

"Why were you out here when you thought you might be in labor?" Logan asked with a frown as he tried to help her get comfortable.

"I was walking to try and get it rolling," Kitty defended looking more and more miserable. "Clearly that was a mistake!"

"Okay, come on. You're gonna try to get comfortable and rest until Celia shows, alright?" K told Kitty, simply stepping in to take charge of the situation as best she could. Kitty nodded and Logan helped her to their bedroom to lay down. Once she was in bed, Logan did what he could to make her more comfortable while K started the full court press on anyone with a medical degree.

"You oughta be a little more comfortable now," Logan said softly as he pulled a blanket over her. "Can't do much, but I'm here if you need me."

Kitty gave him a sheepish sort of smile before turning on her side. "Can you just … rub my back … please?" Of course, he simply nodded and did as she asked, pressing hard as she asked for it. But that only had him looking toward K with a clear 'where the hell are they' expression. There was no doubt his little pumpkin was in full labor now.

K shrugged when Kitty couldn't see it and called up to the house - moving to cell phones just to get direct lines. "Listen," K said quietly as she watched Kitty from the living room, "Kitty's in labor. Like full on she-is-having-this-baby-right-now labor. We can't move her, she's too far in it. Will you please send down everything Celia might need and tell her to light a damn fire and get here, please? We can try to keep her calm until then, but Jean … there's only so much we can do here without a pro."

"What?" Jean almost hissed, clearly upset. "Celia was supposed to be here over an hour ago! I'll find her. In the meantime, I'll send down Kurt with the supplies. I'll be there too as soon as I find Celia. Everyone else is still on the mission," Jean said. Her tone held a note of honest panic, but at the same time, she was more than a little angry. "I told Piotr he needed to stick around!"

"Yeah, well, just do me a favor and wake up Jubilee and the girls if they're not up already. If Celia doesn't get here in time we may need someone to sit with the kids, too," K said.

"Oh, Rachel and I will be down, too," Jean promised. "Just … I don't know. Try to keep her calm. I know you can't slow it down if she gets moving."

"Yeah, well … you need to be here then," K said. "I did surgery, remember? You're closer to an expert."

"Right," Jean said, and K could almost see her decisive nod. "Be right down."

As K hung up the phone, Kitty was doing her best to keep from screaming out as the next contraction hit her and Logan did his best to keep her calm, which was great, but still … not who Kitty was expecting to coach her through her first born. K turned away from Kitty as she worked through her pain, taking a moment to peek in on the sleeping little ones in the next room over before returning to Kitty.

"Take a look, please," Kitty said, trying to rearrange herself.

"I don't really …" K caught the expression on both of their faces and blew out her breath. "I've only done this for horses. And if I see hooves, we're going to have a serious talk."

Kitty let out a breath of a laugh. "That is the most sneaky way I've ever heard someone call Piotr a stubborn ass."

"Well if the horseshoe fits," K muttered as she picked up the blanket and took a peek.

"Katherine Anne, I don't know who you pissed off in your past life to deserve this, but you're having this baby right now. I can see the head," K told her - which only had Kitty starting to panic. "Jean is on her way down now … she knows more about this than I do, so just ...get wherever it's least painful and when you're ready, go for it. We're here for you."

Kitty had paled to nearly sheet white. "No – not yet, Piotr isn't here. I can't do this without him."

"That's a damn lie and you know it," Logan told her over her shoulder. "You're stronger than him on his best day." The words were right, but Logan was honestly glad that Kitty didn't see his expression because he incredibly anxious on her behalf. Of course, a bit of relief hit all of them as a soft 'bamf' could be heard just outside the front door. Logan gave Kitty's hand a squeeze, kissed her on the forehead and slipped out to let Kurt in letting K take his place.

She let Kitty lean against her as she caught her breath. "Hey, I know, it's scary. But that little one has decided now is the time, ready or not."

Jean stepped in as Kitty started to cry, and made her way over to help out. "You're looking great, Kitty," Jean said with an encouraging smile. "Just breathe, follow your body. I will help as much as I can, but … it looks like you're doing the hardest part already." Kitty was ready to argue when she had to push again, grasping at K who was steadying her.

Jubilee and the girls followed Kurt's dramatic arrival with Jean and quickly zipped into the kids' room while Logan and Kurt tried to keep out of the way as much as possible in the living room, ready to jump in if Kitty asked for them.

"Celia was caught behind a car accident. They wouldn't let her pass," Jean explained, taking Kitty's hand before she closed her eyes and psychically blocked some of the pain receptors for her. Kitty let out a breath of relief before she called for Logan to come in. He took up the spot opposite K and simply started to talk to her low and soft, stroking her hair and comforting her as only he did. When the next contraction hit, the psychic pain block held, and Kitty was all business, though Jean was focused on catching, nodding to herself as progress was made.

"You're doing great, Kitty. You're almost done. Take a breath. When you're ready just a couple more ought to do it," Jean said as Logan again leaned toward her to whisper something encouraging that was meant only for her to hear. And … tear streaked and sweaty, Kitty forced herself to catch her breath quickly before resuming her work, digging her nails into Logan's arm as she finished the job. Jean's pain blocking was more effective than she'd thought it would be, and Jean quickly wrapped the little one in a clean towel as an angry squeaky cry echoed the room. The two ferals helped Kitty to get a little more comfortable now that the worst was over and a massive sense of relief washed over the whole house as she leaned back.

Jean was crying herself as she handed Kitty the little one, cord still attached and Kitty's hands shaking as she met her son. Jean rearranged the blanket to cover her, leaving the room for a minute to get the kit that Kurt had brought down. Of course, Kurt was beaming, excited to meet the little one. Unlike Jubilee, Chloe, and Zoe - who all looked ill. When Jean returned to Kitty, she was smiling wearily.

Kitty had rearranged herself so she was again leaning on Logan, whose arm was around her as she cooed at her little boy. By the time Celia had arrived, the cord had been cut, and K and Jean had started the clean up.

"Oh, you have to be kidding me," Celia said looking more upset than what was reasonable. "Kitty, I'm so sorry, I rushed …"

"It's okay," Kitty told her, totally enraptured with her little boy before she handed him to Logan.

"Kurt can take us up now," Kitty said. "Once Logan and K both get to hold him."

Logan was smirking at her as he looked at the little boy. "Ya did good, half pint." When he handed him back to Kitty, he paused to kiss her on the cheek before Kurt took them up to the lab.

The house was suddenly overwhelmingly silent as the ferals, Jean, and the teenagers all stared at each other. None of them had thought this was how their evening was going to go. K sighed heavily as Logan put his arm around her. "Welcome home, sweetheart. Never a dull moment."

K couldn't help but to laugh in response. "Yeah. And in related news, we're going to need a new bed." And while Logan saw the humor in it, the three teenagers were still on the couch, pale faced and horrified they listened to the two ferals.

"Why did we have to come down here?" Chloe said finally trying to break up the couple as Logan nipped at K's neck. She gathered herself and turned in Logan's arms to face them.

"We needed someone here to keep an eye on the kids in case they woke up. Looks like they didn't – and, frankly, I thought it was a good idea for you girls to see, or hear at least, what labor was like. Don't want you getting any wild ideas any time soon," K teased as Logan continued to nuzzle her.

"Is it always that bad?" Jubilee asked, to which K and Logan shared a look and mildly nodded. "And you let him knock you up more than once? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Logan looked up at her with a frown. "Hey now. That's enough of that. Go on up to bed. We asked you to come keep an eye on the kids, not start a bash men session."

K couldn't help but start laughing at the look on his face as Jubilee got to her feet and stuck her tongue out at Logan, leading the girls up to the house

But Logan barely waited before returning his attention to K. "That's not a bad question. What the hell is wrong with you?" He was obviously entertained and had simply grabbed on to the opportunity to pick with both hands.

"Is it your intention to be a pain in my ass, or are you being serious?" K asked with a smirk as they half-wrapped around each other.

"It's a good question considerin' the hell you girls go through," he replied softy, though by actions, it was clear that he would have happily dropped the subject and moved on to more urgent matters. Matters that lined up with curling up and getting overly involved."

K let out a slow breath as she tried to find the right words to explain it. Particularly since before she'd been preparing for the twins, she wouldn't have considered a round two just based on her personal misery index. "Alright. So...something happens to you after they're actually born, but if it's just me and how I heal or if it's a more universal thing, I don't know. You forget about all the pain that's in the rear view. At least I do. Especially when he looks like his father. And you see little bits of yourself peeking up … and for me, I forgot everything bad that had happened during the pregnancy, because it doesn't matter anymore." Logan had stopped his crusade to steal kisses and was openly just. Watching her. "Besides, I know that if everything falls into place right that there wouldn't be much hesitation to do it again – for the man I love." She didn't get any further before he rushed the short distance to kids the sense out of her as the three little ones slept undisturbed in the next room over.

The mansion was a buzz when the Howlett clan made their way up to the mansion late the next morning. K and Logan had fallen asleep on the couch in each other's arms. And when Abbey woke up, she was thrilled to see them snuggled up so peacefully. Shealmost rushed to them, but knew they must be very tired, so instead, she simply climbed on the couch with them.

She was very careful to keep from disturbing them too much, though she didn't miss the little smirk her father was wearing in his sleep as she climbed up on his chest. She settled in easily, her hand on her mother's cheek. She cooed when Logan's hand rested on her back, holding her just a breath closer to him. And the trio stayed that way for another good hour or so until the twins woke up. With a kiss to Abbeys cheek, K slipped out of Logan's grasp as he held their oldest, who snuggled deeper into his arms while K got James and Rose changed and dressed.

The twins were happy to see her and doubly so when their father sat up holding Abbey. The little family took their time waking up before trekking up to the house after breakfast, too. They knew everyone had to be worn out after the events of the previous evening. Nothing would be going on today. And even if they could overlook the excitement with Kitty, it was still the day after a major mission, reports had to be done by all involved.

But with Kitty's new baby too? "Didn't catch the name, did you?" Logan asked as they approached the door.

"I think she was a little too shhok up to mention it, all things considered," K replied. "I'm sure she's dying to tell you."

As they walked through the door, Piotr rushed over and picked up Logan in a spinning bear hug, only pausing for a moment to stop himself from doing the same to K- had she not been holding the twins. "Thank you, tovarich, for all you did for my precious katja. I don't know what she would have done without you," Piotr said, beaming. "Come, come and meet our son." He practically carried Logan down the hall with K smiling after them. Of course, Chloe and Jubilee were quick to step in and snatch up the babies as K passed.

"We have Rachel too," Zoe called out. "Have fun with the crazy Russian!"

"Oh sure," K called back. "Take the easy route!"

"I'm glad you're both here. We've chosen a name for him," Kitty said with a clear grin. Her chin was tipped up as she slid the baby into Logan's arms. "I know you saw him last night-and seriously. Thank you for all the help, but ...meet Michael Logan Rasputin." Kitty was beaming.

Logan of course smiled softly as he looked down at the little fella. "You're going to be a great mom."

Kitty couldn't have looked any prouder as the group around them began to buzz about who the baby looked like, and Kitty's choice of names. Suddenly Kitty looked at K who Piotr had his arm around while he was grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

"I don't think I could have done it without your help you guys, and I already cried all over Jean twice. Thanks for keeping me calm." She took a moment then turned toward K. "Do you want to hold him?"

But, K shook her head, her hands out in front of her. "No, no that's alright. You enjoy him." It didn't miss Jean's notice though of how almost scared of the little guy she looked.

"Why not?" Piotr asked before anyone else could. "You helped bring him into this world. You should hold him."

"Nope," K said. "Sweet lil thing is dripping baby glitter. I can smell his head from here – that's quite close enough. I already pushed my luck when she delivered him. NO. I will not be holding that baby for a while," K replied. "too risky."

Kitty grinned and laughed out loud. "You know that I'm going to do everything I can to get you to hold him now, right?" Kitty replied as K shook her head no.

"I'm leaving now. I'll be back when he's six months old. Feel free to leave him with Auntie Jeannie though. She wouldn't mind the glitter," K said, as Logan smirked, giving the baby back to Kitty then subtly taking K's hand to pull her closer.

"I absolutely will take that on," Jean said, holding one finger up.

Logan had pulled K closer until she was inches from him, practically forcing her to get closer to the little boy. And when it was clear he wasn't going to let her keep away from him, K let out a good natured grumble before, to Kitty's delight, K gently picked little Michael up. He was a big beautiful baby who favored his mother heavily, though he wore his father's frown. K softened as she held him, relaxing into Logan's arm around her back.

"He's perfect, Kitty you do good work…. and Piotr too, I suppose," she said, raising an eyebrow at the tall Russian. "But mostly Kitty." K smiled at her, eyes twinkling as she started to hand him back to her. But not without leaning in to give Kitty a kiss on the cheek as she handed Michael back. Logan's hands were at her hips, pulling her into him as she stood up again, simply enjoying having the wife he did to take care of his foster daughter.

Sweet family moments like that, though once rare, were quickly becoming more commonplace at Xaviers. And no one was happier about it than Charles himself.

"K, I'd like to chat with you a moment, if you don't mind," Charles said as the feral couple headed down the hallway. Both paused and Logan gave her a kiss then continued on without her, leaving K to talk with Charles. "Kitty will be needing to take some time to recover. I was hoping you might be able to help fill in for one of her classes," he told her.

Naturally, K looked taken aback. She hadn't considered herself as a real teacher – the fun stuff sure, but Kitty ran several classes that K would be of no use for. "I'd love to help you, but I don't know what I can do – I mean, she teaches an ethics class, right? And future history what is that?" K asked as Charles smiled.

"Actually, I think you'd be perfect for the ethics class. We'll have a guest teacher for Katherine's computer class, and future history will be taken over by Lucas Bishop," Charles replied.

K was more than a little surprised at his assertion. "How am I even in the running for ethics? I just got back from a murder spree. How is that ethical?"

"While that is technically and crudely true, I have been looking at it more like a mother bear trying to protect her cubs than I did 'murder spree'. Kitty had lesson plans made up for the entire time she expects to be out, you only need to follow them. I have total faith in you, my dear," Charles said as K grudgingly agreed to his proposal. "Class will meet at the same time as Logan's history class. I'm sure you'll do splendidly."

Obviously though, K wasn't so sure as she watched him enter his office.


	8. Teaching

K's first official day as an honest teacher at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was officially… only halfway through and already, K was pinching the bridge of her nose when Logan walked in to steal a kiss on the grounds of checking in. He didn't announce his intentions, of course, until he'd already slipped his arms around her and gently kissed her temple. "That bad?" he asked as he pulled her close enough to wrap up.

"How do you  _not_  stab them," K growled out before she slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's not like you don't know 'em. Most of them have been riding with you at the barn."

"But they  _wanted_ to be there. They don't want to do this and they seem to think I'm their  _friend_."

He smirked to himself and started kissing her behind the ear as his hands wandered. "Until now, you've been gettin' off easy, sweetheart. You've been the fun one – the one they want to see. So if you want to keep that rep, you better find a way to make it fun...or, be prepared to be a hard ass at your riding lessons. Gotta pick one." K let out a groan of displeasure before he slipped a hand into her hair and started to kiss her properly when Scott came in to see how her class had gone before he had to be at his next class.

"So is this congratulations or consolation?" Scott asked, interrupting them enough to get a growl from K as she peeked over Logan's shoulder.

"Consolation," Logan chuckled, which only had Scott smirking widely.

"It'll get better. Really. Tell her, Logan," Scott said as he leaned in the door. "And welcome to the other side." He was clearly trying not to chuckle as he left, shaking his head to himself as Logan squeezed her tighter.

"Now I wanna stab  _him_ ," K growled out quietly, which at least earned herself an honest grin from Logan before he pulled her into the kiss he'd been  _trying_ to have with her since he'd walked into the room.

"I called that first, so you better get a number," he teased as he led her out of the classroom.

They made their way to the kitchen for coffee when a familiar voice called out to them. "Hey now –  _there's_ a face I haven't seen in a while." K spun and had to stash her surprise on hearing Tony Starks' voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?" K asked as Logan handed her a mug.

"I'm the temporary computer hacking teacher until Kitty comes off baby leave," he replied proudly. "Honestly, they should have asked me years ago. No one's better really." He rolled his eyes, mostly to himself. "Might have lost a bet. Whatever."

K took a deep breath as she took her mug to sit by the window with her husband –and about as far from Stark as they could get. Until, of course, he pulled up a chair to sit tight next to her anyhow. "Speaking of – how are things with your little rugrats? Heard Logan's been keeping you  _busy_ ," Stark said with a grin.

K stared at him for a moment, closed her eyes and tipped her head skyward. "Dear God, if he's going to spend all of Kitty's maternity leave pestering the shit out of me … I cannot be held responsible for all I do or say.."

Which was enough to get Kurt to very nearly spit-take before breaking down laughing, though Logan growled at him in warning.

"Oh, come on now," Tony said. "You went and had three kids and I haven't seen  _one_ of them in person yet. What am I supposed to think outside of 'he's been keeping you busy', which … technically he has!"

K sighed and went back to pressing her fist against her eyelid. The pressure always seemed to help her focus on not stabbing someone. "Tony, darling," K said in her silkiest tone, which only had Tony leaning a little closer at her wording. "I will try to say this as nicely as I can, but I will only say it once."

"Yes, dear?" Tony said with a grin as it was Logan's turn to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Don't push my buttons or I will slice off your balls and force feed them to you. Am I clear?" K asked calmly and evenly, resting her hand on his before she gave him a little pat.

"Is that strictly ethical?" Tony asked, unable to control himself.

"As it stands, I'm only the  _substitute_  ethics teacher. I only go by what's on the page in front of me that someone else wrote while I'm in class," K said with a smile when it was clear that Tony was up for a little more serious picking, though he did at least have the sense to pull his hand back from her and sit back in his chair.

"Got it. I'll try talking with you when you've had a little better morning," Tony said, though he looked like he was trying  _not_ to smile, still.

"That would be wise, Mr. Stark." K said, though she hadn't missed his smile, and even when he knew he was in trouble … Tony's troublemaking smile had a way of winning people over.

"Are we supposed to stick to official titles, Mrs. Howlett?" Tony asked before he went back to biting his bottom lip.

"Might be good to remember that I'm  _busy,"_ K laughed, though that had Tony laughing along with her.

* * *

It took nearly two weeks for K to get into the swing of things fully. And when she had finally gotten somewhat comfortable Charles asked her to join him for tea to discuss things in general. "I knew you'd do well, my dear. You only had to approach it a little differently," Charles said with that pleased smile that he so often wore as K topped off his cup of Earl Grey.

"I'm still not any good at this," K insisted. "It's not a subject I'm totally comfortable with, either." As she leaned back, James pulled himself up next to her and grinned while Rose did the same near Jean. Abbey was, as usual, sitting with Charles.

"Just keep up the good work. The students have  _enjoyed_ your unique perspective," Charles told her. "And if you wouldn't mind too terribly, Piotr's class is in need of a model again. Would you be so kind as to pose for a week or so while Kitty and Piotr visit their parents?"

It was such a far cry from Ethics, that of course, K agreed, not thinking to ask who the teacher would be for the class.

* * *

The following day, K showed up to art class in her yoga clothes. She didn't feel like going full on leotard. Her figure was as good as it ever was, but her outlook on it wasn't up to her normal self.

When K got to the class, she didn't even look to see who was running it, simply hanging her flannel shirt on a hook near the door before stepping to the center of the easels, settling herself into an easy to hold pose. The class had barely started when Stark's voice rang out from behind the easels. "Make sure you pay attention to the curve where her side meets her hip," he said to one of the young artists directly behind her. "It's a tough curve to follow."

K's head whipped up so she could level a glare at him just as Steve cut in. "Don't … don't listen to him," Steve said. "He's being an  _ass_. Tony, I told you you can't be in here." He met K's gaze and looked openly apologetic. "I'm sorry, he said he wanted to talk about Avengers business while they were drawing. I should have known." Steve turned to Tony again. "Get out."

"No, let him keep talking," K said. "Logan will probably be by soon. He needs to stretch a little."

"I'll be quiet," Tony said, holding both hands up. "I swear. I'll keep my very helpful suggestions to myself and wait for the intrepid artists to get hyper focused on their task before I pester the substitute."

Steve turned to K, silently waiting for her judgement, which, after a moment of looking at the kids, half of whom were in awe of the great and powerful Iron Man in their midst, K clenched her jaw and nodded. "Thank you, K," Steve said. "If he starts being a pain, I'll throw him out myself."

"It's fine," K said. "I doubt he could draw me anyhow."

"No, but Steve can," Tony said with a grin. "And he probably should."

K glanced at the two of them and paused. "He's the teacher," she said before carefully taking her pose.

"And we've been doing this all semester, so we've all kind of got it covered," Chloe said, smiling at K. "You can draw. We've got it."

Steve looked around the room for a moment at the eager artists and after seeing how one of the kids had already dove in to start his drawing, Steve started to walk around the room, looking at the different angles the kids were taking until he found one he liked then got his supplies. As he set up the easel, he gave her a crooked smile. "I really don't get nearly enough time to do this."

"Then you should sub for art here more often," Tony said as he took a seat nearby to watch the process - and of course, to quietly talk to Steve once the room had settled down and gotten to work.

Of course, the subject at hand was distracting to the model of the day. Tony was keeping his tone soft, and it was unlikely that anyone but the students closest to them had even managed to catch  _some_ of what was being said, but … it almost sounded like Tony was encouraging Steve to extend an invite to K to join them for a few missions.

And to K's relief, Steve's response was a soft, distracted "Tony, You're not sneaky or clever. If you want to ask her to help with something, go ahead and help her. I'm sure she won't hold the whole Viper thing against you still." He stopped and shot K a smirk that was full of trouble before he continued. "Or … maybe she does. But I'm sure you'd have a better chance to make nice if you manned up and talked to her yourself."

The class went on after that, more or less silent as everyone got to work, but it wasn't until the class was over and K had pulled her flannel back over her shoulders that Tony approached her.

"I wanted to apologize for the other day. I just get carried away sometimes. I'm really not that much of an ass," he said, blocking her from leaving as he leaned across the doorway.

"Tony, all due respect, I've spent a lot of time with you already. You can't lie to me like that. You absolutely can be an ass like that," K said turning to him, though when he looked properly insulted, she gave him a little smile. "But, now and again, you surprise me and act like a sweetheart. In case you're wondering, it's always better to try and go for more of that." He smirked as she squeezed under his arm, slipping past him toward the front door. If there weren't any other hold ups, she knew she had just enough time to prep for riding.

* * *

It was a shame then that Kitty's mother hadn't scheduled her time very wisely and had expected for Kitty and Piotr to wait around for her while she cajoled with her friends. It only took one day of that for the young family to pack up and leave. It was a stark contrast to the warm welcome they'd gotten from what was  _left_ of Piotr's family.

"Hey …" K said with a frown. "You guys aren't supposed to be back yet – what happened?" K had come to a stop to let Abbey down from the piggy back ride she was giving her - and of course the little girl tore over to see Kitty.

"My  _mother_. She's too busy to spend time, so we just came back." Kitty blew a curl out of her face and dropped into a seat.

"Feelin' okay? Healing up alright?" K asked, still frowning at the pure disappointment in Kitty's expression.

"Alright. Getting better every day. I don't expect to be out for the full six weeks. I'm already going stir crazy. So I needed to ask if you're on board to help with Michael while I do my classes. I know you'll already have yours but is that too much?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'll help," K replied, frowning at her as Kitty relaxed.

"I was just worried that you might not want to …. seeing as you're  _afraid_ to hold him," Kitty teased.

"Oh, shut up your smart face. I am not  _afraid_ to hold him. I'm just reluctant. Logan gets this  _look_  when I have a baby in my arms and I'm just not going there," K said matter-of-factly.

Which only had Kitty snickering. "I know. I saw it. I'm sorry but it's funny," Kitty said with a grin. "Especially since the twins are still small. Come on … one more, right?"

K growled at her. "Just wait until Piotr gives you that look. It's  _not_ funny. It's about the only damn time that man can scare me."

But that only caused a full on fit of laughter from Kitty. It was genuine, and her laughter danced across the room - impossible to escape, and unintentionally addictive. Within a few breaths, Elin was giggling along with her, and before long, K ended up joining her too.

Finally, Kitty wiped the tears from her eyes as she got control of herself. "All the things that Logan does – you've seen him  _berserk_ , drenched in blood, threatening to kill  _you_ even and he doesn't really scare you until he gives you ' _the look_ '. That, my friend is  _hilarious_." Kitty was still smiling and chuckling to herself. "One of the most normal things he can do as a man to his wife and THAT is what scares you." She held K's very unamused gaze as James made his way to her. "And look at the pretty babies you make!"

"Says the woman that makes pregnancy look easy," K replied.

"Says the woman that makes  _recovery_  look easy," Kitty countered with a raised eyebrow before James leaned forward to give her a baby kiss on the cheek that had Kitty almost cringing at all the drool that went with it.

"Alright, but … new rule. Don't push for anyone else unless you're willing to do it yourself. If you want to pray for more little ones, put your thoughts behind  _Jean._ "

"Oh. Well, yeah. She's ready for more right  _now_ ," Kitty agreed.

* * *

Two weeks passed with things going as they had since K had started covering for Kitty. Tony Stark playfully harassed her every chance he got until Kitty asked K to help with Michael while she spoke with Charles. Normally, the little one would have gone with, but he'd been fussy and needed more attention than he'd get at the meeting, so K took him, humming and swaying as he settled down. Her little ones were playing at her feet and Michael was snuggled into her neck when she spotted Tony leaning in the door frame. She chose to ignore him as the little guy fell asleep.

"You know, I never thought you'd dive into this whole mom thing so fast," Stark said as he walked into the room. "It's a good look on you." He looked over her shoulder at the little boy yawning as he snuggled in. "Wow. He looks a  _lot_ like his mom."

"Yes he does," K agreed. It was the first semi-civil thing they'd said to each other in weeks that wasn't just flat out picking back and forth. Tony put his hand on her shoulder as he leaned in to sneak a peek at the little boy, though she honestly wasn't sure if he was looking at the baby, or trying to take a peek down her shirt.

Either way, Tony didn't seem to realize how cozy he'd gotten with her until she stepped forward to lay the little one down in his bassinet, and then he looked as if he was slightly confused by the whole affair. When K sat down in the window seat a few moments later, James came toddling over to her rubbing his eyes and yawning. She smiled to him and picked him up as he took his turn for snuggles, purposely trying to ignore Tony's presence. Though that was made harder by the fact that he chose to take a seat right next to her. He'd barely sat down when Rose made her way over and insisted on him picking her up to snuggle. He did as she asked as Abbey continued to color & sing to herself.

From their first meeting, Rose had taken to Tony, giggling at the faces he made and choosing him over even Steve to cuddle up with, though just then, K had to keep from outright smiling at him as he seemed to relax just as much as Rose did, tucking her under his chin and holding the little girl close. "She just thinks I'm funny," Tony said when he realized K had caught him cuddling that seriously with her.

"She's not even two yet, Tony. Your maturity level is about the same," K shot back as James got comfortable on her chest.

"He looks just like Logan. Why'd he get so unlucky?"

"Tony, what's going on," K asked softly. "I know you've been tapdancing around. Come on. Is there something on your mind?"

"Actually yes. I know you said no before, but I'm going to need someone trustworthy to help on a mission."

"Tony, I will not play bodyguard for you again."

"Hear me out," Tony replied, giving her a look, and it was pretty clear he wasn't trying to be a pain. "I don't need a bodyguard." K glanced up at him and waited until he drew in a breath and held it before blurting out the rest of it. "I need a woman's opinion."

K wrinkled her nose at him. "I told you I'm not having anything to do with your penis." But that at least had Tony grinning. .

"No, you made that perfectly clear," he said with a smirk. "I want to ask Pepper to marry me, but I've messed up enough big gestures in the past … I think I need help."

K paused and stared at him for a long moment. "Wait. Really? I didn't realize you two were that serious."

Tony nodded at that with a warm, fond smile pulling at his expression. "It's always been her. I uh, I have the ring," he said, shifting slightly to pull the box out of his pocket.

"Oh, you sweet little teddy bear, you're carrying it around with you," K said, teasing him with a delighted crooked smile as he opened the box to show her a massive cluster of sapphires around an obscenely large diamond. "It's so  _you_ ," she said smirking more crookedly. "So what do you need my help with?"

Tony let out a breath as he put the ring back in his pocket. "I don't know how to actually do it. I need to set it up some how, but like I said … my attempt at gestures with her have failed spectacularly, and I don't know a whole lot of married people – so…" Tony held his breath for a second then closed one eye. "How about you tell me, how Logan asked you?"

"Yeah, that won't work with her," K said as Tony grinned, sensing there was a story worth hearing there.

"Why what did he do?" Tony asked as K came as close to blushing as Tony would ever see, which was enough to put Tony on the right path. "Oh god. He asked you in bed, didn't he?"

K tried and failed horribly to stop the grin. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

Tony shook his head but couldn't suppress the smile. "Well, that is how most men would prefer to do it – though I don't know of anyone other than him that it's worked for. Wow. Yeah, that's a man's idea of a proposal," he chuckled. "And you went for it? Really? I was hoping for some great story about him down on one knee begging for your hand."

"Well there was kneeling involved at some point," K replied dryly as Tony's did his best to keep from laughing out loud and waking up the little ones.

"Dirty girl. Good lord. Alright. So, lesson of the day: don't ask Logan for proposal advice," he said shaking his head.

"Tony, it's easy. Keep it simple. If it's from the heart, and she feels the same way – you're golden. Don't over complicate things," K said honestly.

He watched her for a moment , though he closed one eye and slowly shook his head. "And his proposal was from the heart? Because coming from a guy …. that was from a little lower … down."

"Heyl, that was special circumstances. There were other elements in play – it wasn't  _just_ sex," K said as Tony stood, though Rose was still holding onto him tightly. "It was just timed right. He took me totally off guard."

"Uh huh," Tony said, giving her a sly, knowing look as he kissed Rose's head. "Well just do me a favor and don't tell that to my littlest girlfriend here any time soon," Tony said before Rose smiled up at him and gave him a kiss on the nose. Tony paused and took just a second to kiss K on the top of the head. "Thanks, sweetheart, I'll let you know how it goes," Tony said, turning on his heel. As he started walking out the door, he grinned as Logan walked in.

"What's got him in such a good mood? Usually you level him," Logan said as he took the seat Tony had just vacated.

"Says he's gonna ask Pepper to make him an honest man," K replied, which had Logan nodding in understanding.

"So what did he want?"

"To know how you asked," K replied, her eyebrow arched up as she smirked.

"Hell, that shouldn't have worked with  _you_. Surprised you didn't kick my ass for it. Sure as hell won't go over with Pepper," he replied.

K couldn't help but smile at him. " _Why_  did that work again?" she asked in an airy sort of tone that had Logan trying not to smile too hard.

"I'll show ya later."


	9. Never Quiet For Long

Come Monday morning, there was no sign of Tony Stark, even though he'd yet to miss the mark on showing up when he was supposed to - and classes were still supposed to start on time. Scott was understandably more than a little anxious, panicking over his missing substitute.

"Scott, relax. You don't know what happened this weekend," K said calmly over her coffee with Logan next to her not saying a word about any of it either way.

Scott turned her way, and it was clear when she saw the expression on his face that the stress had gotten to him and he was almost looking for someone to take his frustration out on. "What happened this weekend? The Avengers didn't go out – there aren't any major headlines concerning Stark Industries …. what else is there?" Scott asked with a frown leaning on the table before his voice dropped to a low mutter. "I knew I couldn't trust him to be reliable …"

K calmly set her mug down before leaning forward so that she was just a few inches from his nose. "There is more to life than the teams and companies people run. You know this. 's probably just running late – you don't know. And his class isn't until after lunch anyhow, so do yourself and everyone a favor – switch to decaf and go kiss your wife and daughter," K replied, her voice like silk.

Logan had watched the interaction with a slight glare. It was no secret that he hated when Scott got this way  _anyhow_ but looking like he was trying to just … take it out on K instead of waiting or even  _checking_ with someone more in the know … all that was going to do was get a fight started. Then they'd be down more than just Stark.

Scott's mouth tightened for a moment before his lips parted slightly and he seemed to take in a little breath before his shoulders dropped."You know something I don't," he said to K quietly as he stood up.

"Imagine that."

"You care to share?"

"Nope. Not my business to share."

"Then if he doesn't show you get to cover the class."

"Not sure how I'm going to do that if I'm in the class across the hall, but … okay," K replied totally relaxed looking.

"You could try callin' him, Scooter," Logan said dryly. "If you're that damned nervous."

But the words had no sooner left Logan's mouth when the front door flew open and Stark strutted in, grinning. He made a beeline to the table and grabbed K by the shoulders, pulling her to her feet and gave her a quick kiss full on the mouth. "You were  _right_." He paused and then glanced at Logan, only to take a step back from both of them. "Oh, right. Oops. Logan, don't kill me – it was a  _thank you_!" Tony insisted, backing away from the couple as K's wiped her mouth off.

"At least there was no tongue," K replied as Logan took a step forward, and Tony began retreating as he did so, his hands outstretched, palms open.

"Got carried away! Stop, just … wait. Listen!" Tony said, especially when it was so clear that Logan was ready to pound him. "I got  _engaged_ this weekend – her advice worked."

"My advice didn't work, you idiot. She loves you and just went with it. I had nothing to do with it," K almost spit out, arms crossed.

Logan paused long enough to unclench his fist before he slapped the back of Tony's head, hard. Tony nearly lost his footing and was obviously seeing stars. "Congratulations. You so much as  _think_  about kissin' my wife like that again and I'll cut your tongue out," Logan growled as he stalked back to his seat, and pulled K down onto his lap.

Tony stared at him a moment. "Yeah, that wasn't very well thought out, was it."

"Congratulations, I didn't know you two were that serious. Are you going to be teaching today, Tony?" Scott asked, arms crossed as K wriggled from Logan's grasp to get a fresh cup of coffee. As she passed Scott she gave him a little smack on the backside, earning herself a little glare.

"Lighten up, Scott. He's  _here_. He'll do it today. And I hope you got a bruise," she said dryly as she poured a new cup.

"How did you bruise him?" Jean asked as she stepped into the kitchen. Before Scott could bust her, K did it herself.

"Smacked his ass. I think he's got a stick up there," K replied, which oddly enough got a muted smile from Jean as she settled Rachel into her high chair near James and Rose.

"Not the first time I've heard it, and that's just not what's going on. And you  _know it_ ," Jean said before she gave K a look and turned to steal a kiss from Scott.

"Is there going to be a cat fight? Because I can call off the engagement," Tony said, grinning crookedly.

Jean shook her head at him and chuckled. "Catfight, no – mud wrestling,  _maybe_." She turned toward K where she stood at the coffee maker. "Take it easy on him. He's under a lot of stress."

K smirked at her and handed her the sugar before she could ask for it. "You know my cure. Go on – you'll both like it," K replied as she made her way back to a smirking Logan.

"You're a deviant," Scott said in his attempt to tease.

"I don't hear any complaints," K replied with a sly smile. "And practice makes perfect."

"Agreed," Scott said with a little laugh, now in a much lighter mood since his scheduling issues had resolved themselves.

* * *

Classes continued as scheduled for another two weeks before Kitty returned for good. And she quickly dove in with K and Jean, juggling babies, school, and missions which only helped Kitty to grow closer to her adoptive father's wife. It was natural, unavoidable, and wonderfully welcomed. Both Jean and Kitty were learning to read K wordlessly, and it seemed the three of them would have conversations to each other without ever saying anything, and without Jean getting her telepathy involved. At least, she wasn't getting it involved with K. Kitty … there was definitely some cheating going on.

Which was probably why one random afternoon Piotr panicked when he walked into the living room to find K  _growling_ as she pushed Kitty's face into the carpet, her foot at the back of Kitty's head as she wrenched her arms backward. "K! What are you doing? Let her go!" Piotr shouted as he approached the pair.

"It's not Kitty," K snarled before her gaze locked on to Piotr in spite of what she was doing. "Touch me and lose an arm, Pete. If it was Kitty, she would've phased." Piotr paused, knowing K was right though it wasn't easy for him to watch as Kitty turned purple, choking while K applied more pressure. She coughed, gasped and gave a final push to free herself only to pass out as Logan walked in the door, and rushed forward with a curse to stop his wife from  _killing_ Kitty. But two steps in, Logan's whole body language shifted and he slowed, eyes narrowed as his growl sparked up, and a moment later, Kitty's body began to shimmer under K's foot, proving that K was right all along.

Unconscious and bruised, there lay Mystique.

Piotr's jaw locked as he realized that the room was overly quiet. The kids were missing. Without giving her so much as a warning, Piotr took a hold of K by the arms and moved her bodily to take over as K released Mystique. With a roar of frustration, Piotr snatched the villain up and dragged her to the danger room.

"Shouldn't she go to the med lab?" Bobby asked as Piotr grimly hauled her off.

" _Nyet_. I will question her where she cannot get away from me," he answered as Logan rushed ahead and punched in his code to open the room.

As the doors opened, a simulation shimmered to a halt and a room full of hopeful students froze in confusion as Piotr and the ferals stepped inside. "Get out," Logan growled, scattering the kids in a breath. Without breaking his stride, he glared up at the booth. "Seal the room, Slim," Logan growled out to a very angry and confused looking fearless leader in the booth.

"What's going on, Logan?" Scott asked, standing up to get a better look at the shapeshifter.

"She was impersonating Kitty. K caught her at it," Logan growled back. "Have Jeannie do a scan for Kitty. Don't know right now where she is, and she had Michael with her at the time."

Scott nodded, his jaw clenched tightly as he quicky understood what the trouble was. "Door's sealed," Scott said. "I'll stay close, though."

Without any preamble, Piotr dropped Mystique in the center of the floor and K made her way over to her. "Careful, sweetheart," Logan warned as K stopped with one foot on either side of the Mystique's torso, looking over her shoulder at her husband with a concentrated expression of rage clear on her face. Without waiting for a further explanation, K leaned over and slapped Mystique hard.

"Wake up," K growled as her hand made contact a second time. Mystique's eyes popped open and she startled, trying to scurry away from K. But of course, the angry little feral wouldn't have it. "Where's Kitty?" K asked just before Mystique took a swing at her. K caught her fist and twisted her arm, turning it back on itself, and twisting until Mystique's' body was forced to turn to accommodate the torque she was using on her – all a vain attempt to avoid her arm breaking. "I said where's Kitty?" K whispered low as she pushed on her arm further taking it all the way to the breaking point and waiting for an excuse to snap it just a tiny bit more.

"K take it easy. That's not how we do things here," Scott said from the booth.

"Maybe that's why they all think they can waltz in here whenever they want and hurt people," K breathed over Mystique's shoulder, totally focused on Mystique. "I won't ask you again without breaking something."

Mystique's' eyes widened for an instant before she doubled down on her refusal and a moment later, an wet crack echoed the room as K broke her wrist. There was a beat - maybe two before the pain caught up to Mystique's brain and after a howl of pain, K took a tighter grip on her arm and let Mystique turn to face her so she could  _see_ K's expression as she dared her to try and fight.

"Want to see how that feels when I twist it now?" K said from between her teeth, a growl lacing every word. "Tell me where she is."

"I don't know," Mystique spit out when K's grip tightened in preparation for a twist. "It was Daken! Daken has them. He sent me to slow you down, but he didn't even get an hour before  _you_  found me – don't twist it!"

Logan and Piotr stared at Mystique wearing the same grim expression on both their faces as K's eyes narrowed.

"What else – tell it all or you'll be in traction," K said – too angry to be sure that the woman wasn't lying. And that, on it's own had Logan turning his back to the situation to hide the smirk as his wife manhandled Mystique. He and Piotr's job was easy as K worked and to both of their relief, Mystique broke quickly.

"He wasn't after Kitty – he was after the kids," Mystique spit out. "He has them. All of them – and if I don't get back to him when I'm supposed to – i _n once piece,_  he's going to kill them."

A loud  _snap_ echoed the room as Mystique began to scream and a low, rumbling growl all but covered her screams an instant after Piotr snatched K up off of Mystique. No one witnessing doubted that K would kill her for the insult of having touched her kids. And as K struggled in Piotr's arms kicking and squirming, Logan came to her side, to reach up and hold her head in his hands to get her to focus on him.

"Darlin' – we're not gonna get them back like that. We need her to get us to Daken," He said quietly, anger in his voice as he tried to keep himself in check. Though his efforst were almost for nothing anyhow when K finally let him see her expression. With her hair no longer obscuring her face, it was clear she was in as pure of a rage as he'd ever known himself.

And meanwhile, Mystique was holding her broken arm, glaring at K and building her defiance freshly. "I should just let him kill them for that," Mystique hissed at her. And as K raged trying to get loose from Piotr, Logan turned to face Mystique.

"You do and you can bet I won't hold her back. Only thing you'll have to worry about is who gets to you first. You went too far this time, Raven," Logan said, his own fury apparent in the tone of his voice and the fact that his hands were clenched into tight fists as he stalked toward her. "Bring me to them."

Mystique smirked and tipped her chin up. " _No_. And you know you'll never find me once I get out of here – it's just a matter of time before I get out." She was far more cocky when talking with him than when K had control of the room. For an instant, Logan glanced up at the booth to see that not only Jean, but Kurt had joined Scott as well, and the Elf was fretting with a deep frown at how his mother was behaving. But … after that, Logan turned his attention back to Mystique and didn't blink as they stared each other down, gazes locked. The room was silent but for K's unrelenting growl while she continued to struggle against Piotr. Minutes ticked by and all that had happened was Mystique glaring harder and more contemptuously at him.

"Let her go, Pete," Logan said quietly, though he had yet to blink. Mystique flinched as she heard K's feet touch the floor when Piotr let her go. Never dropping the stare, Logan simply stepped to the side as K rushed past him with a snarl on her lips. Mystique backed away as fast as her feet would move her – but considering she was locked in the danger room with two very angry ferals … and a broken arm, she wasn't anywhere near fast enough to evade as the little adamantine woman launched herself at Mystique, only to start pounding her full force, breaking Mystiques' ribs and fingers, knocking out teeth and when Raven tried to defend herself, K punched the spot where the arm was already broken, smashing the bones further and causing Mystique to nearly black out as she screamed.

"ALRIGHT! I'll talk! Just ...  _stop her_!" Mystique screamed out as K's beating started to crescendo.

Logan made his way into the fray, only to quietly ask K to stop when she had Mystique on her stomach. She was sitting on Mystique's back with her head in her hands, ready to smash her face into the floor. "Hold on a minute, babe," Logan said, which at first got a glare, but when Logan modified his statement to "for now," K paused. "Stop so we can see where they are. If she wants to keep bein' a stubborn pain in the ass, you can keep goin' until she's a fine mist."

K was panting as she considered him and before letting her go, K leaned forward to address her directly. "If I think for one instant you are lying to me or even so much as  _thinking_ about lying to me about where my children are – or if they are hurt in any way when I find them, I promise you that you and everyone you hold dear will suffer. Do you understand me?" K whispered. Unable to nod, she grunted out a quiet 'yes' before K dropped her, stood up, and walked away. K was pacing as Logan tried to get Mystique to speak, and a new kind of fury filled her head as Jean's voice flooded K's senses.

 _K, keep her focus on you, I'm searching her mind now. Please don't panic. The little ones are alright, I can feel them – they're a little scared, but they're alright._  Mystique's' gaze was locked on K. and the first thing Jean found was Mystique's total disbelief. For years, Logan had threatened many times to kill her, but K had made no such threats. At least not before she'd dove into action and proven she'd tear her to shreds. She  _knew_  that one wrong move with this woman would be fatal, and there would be no extra warning. One thing was clear. Mystique knew that she'd truly crossed the line. As K continued to circle her, gaze locked on her, Mystique never took her eyes off her, twisting her body as needed to keep K in her sight line as she was interrogated by the X-Men.

* * *

Within a few minutes, a small team was loading up ready to go after the little ones. It seemed that without their parent's consent, Logan and Kitty's four little ones were already well on their way to their first trip to Japan. The implications of it had Logan anxious. There were far too many old enemies of his waiting for them when they got there. His wife was ready to crack. Her fluid predatory stance hadn't eased even the tiniest bit since their fears were confirmed. The only affection K would accept from him was his arm around her as they sat on the jet.

Mystique was neutralized by an inhibitor in tow, and still, K's eyes never left Mystique for the entire flight. Logan was worried about his wife. Especially … since this was the opportunity he had to try to explain to K who, exactly Daken even was - a detail that K was too angry to ask about after Mystique had dropped the name. But, before he could take a moment to clear the air, Logan watched as eyes start to flutter suddenly. Her body seeming to relax on it's own volition K, confused by her body's betrayal, suddenly turned her focus to Jean.

"Stop it," K said as the growl stuttered and her eyes grew heavier.

But instead, Jean focused harder on her, going so far as to reach a hand out in K's direction to help her focus. "Sleep," Jean said softly, and though K fought it even then, she suddenly lost her internal battle as Jean concentrated hard on her and forced her to relax. K slumped against Logan and all in the jet took a breath of relief. "I'm sorry Logan. I'll wake her when we get close again. But she needs to rest."

Logan nodded grimly. For him, this was a singularly new experience with the same old ache he was far too familiar with. To the best of his knowledge, he'd always wanted a family. And now, now when he thought he was in the clear, they were taken from him. Now here he was  _again_ , lost in the wind while his lost son held his small children hostage for who knows what end. Knowing Daken as he did, Logan was reasonably sure this could only end in one of two ways. Death of Logan himself, and likely the children, or death of Daken – and likely the children. He was getting himself wound up pretty well into his own personal hell in his mind when a warm voice broke into his thoughts.

"Don't think that way, Logan. You have  _help_. We're all here to assist you. Your  _team_ will help. No one will die tonight," Jean said, honestly hurting on his behalf from hearing his thoughts. He only held her gaze for a few moments before he started to shake his head. "Logan, you've never been afraid of a fight. This one matters. Fight for your family's sake. But for now, you too need to  _sleep._ " Logan had enough time to glance up at her before his eyelids felt heavy as he slumped too. To anyone who hadn't seen how angry and depressed the pair of them had been moments before it looked as if the couple had been in an embrace as they slept on with the jet full of their teammates and family ready and willing to throw it on the line for them.

 _It_ is  _going to be rough, Mrs. Summers,_ Scott projected as soon as both of them were out cold and Jean made her way to the cockpit.

 _No doubt about it, Mr. Summers,_  Jean agreed.  _Rachel is with Jubilee and Charles …_

 _They'll be fine until we get back,_  Scott said.  _Right now, we have to fix this. All of it._

Jean smirked to herself and ran a hand though his hair before she kissed his temple.  _Woe be it to anyone who tries to stop you, too._


	10. The Prodigal Pain

Mystique had become very helpful once Jean threatened to wipe her clean and turn off her abilities. She was currently more scared of the X-Men than she was Daken and honestly had no idea where their sudden lack of tolerance had come from. A point which had Kurt more than a little quiet as he sat near Logan and K, arms crossed and resolutely looking forward.

Mystique gladly showed Jean where she was supposed to meet up with Daken. His base of operations was centered in Sapporo in the northern part of Japan and at this time of year was rather cold. Wearing a telekinetic tether, Mystique slipped the group of X-Men into a hidden entrance, leading them almost directly to Kitty and the children – all of them were perfectly safe and healthy, but also overjoyed to see their parents and their beloved aunts and uncles.

Right off the bat, Scott blasted the lock on the inhibitor Kitty had on as she snuggled the little ones, handing them to various members that were more than willing to cuddle the kids. Understandably though, Logan was wary. It was too easy. No extraction had  _ever_ gone this smoothly, particularly any kidnapping they'd ever intervened on. As the team secured the little ones and Kitty, Logan decided to sniff around. He was sure the kids were so easily accessed simply because they were  _still_ the bait, so it only stood to reason that there was something nasty waiting to take out the group.

As much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, if it was Logan trying to draw someone in - kids aside - he'd attack when their guard was down.

The team was just starting to remove the kids when Logan froze. Something was off, even knowing he was looking for a problem, something was off. There was a minute beep that gave him just enough time to register that he'd triggered a bomb before his eyes went wide and he turned - then the bomb went off. Logan was blown well away from the team and the kids, though Kitty had managed to phase them out just before the blast happened. Before Logan could get his senses about him, he was jumped by Daken, who led with a fist full of claws into his back.

The battle was swift and fierce – too fast for anyone to try to assist on either man's part. Daken was raging at him, but Logan was well beyond that. They fought viciously, both of them broke down into a berserk rage, and neither felt the damage they were receiving as they duked it out.

As they fought, Daken found himself in a position close enough to threaten the little ones directly after kicking Logan hard enough to throw him backward through a guard rail. His claws were inches from his little brother's head and Remy, who held him. Logan froze, raising his hands in surrender as K slowly and carefully peeled Rose off of her shoulder and slid her into Jean's arms, her own hands raised as well. Before Daken could make the strike, Jean put her telekinesis to work, holding Daken in place in an attempt to protect the child from his big brother. It was clear by how hard Jean was breathing that she was more than a little shaken by James' close call and she, too, was trying to get her feet under her.

Remy rushed closer to the group, hushing the little boy as K rushed past him - rushing toward Daken with a snarl just as he broke through Jean's restraint and right into K's ready stance. Logan was holding his breath as he tried to stop the fight … knowing full well that without someone big enough to restrain K, that simply wasn't going to happen. Not when Daken had come so close to hurting James  _right in front of her._

Daken didn't say a word to K to start with, though the hatred was clear on his face. "I suppose he didn't mention me, did he?" Daken hissed out as he rushed her - trying to knock her off balance.

"Oh, I know about you, alright," K growled back. "How about you grow the hell up and quit acting like a spoiled little brat? You want daddy's approval? Act like a man and quit trying to make everyone miserable." His face twisted in rage just before K landed a punch on him, extending her claws as she made contact. He responded in kind and the two of them battled ferociously until Daken managed to get her far enough away from the group that his hoard of ninjas swarmed in around all of them.

Which was exactly when it was clear that this … this was the plan all along. Logan looked panicked as he battled the mass of ninjas, calling out to K, trying to see what was happening with his wife and errant son, yet unable to split his focus as wave after wave of combatants rained down on him and the X-Men. Jean was shielding the little ones from the attack and pushing their way out.

Which left Daken to consider his options. The ninjas were not, as everyone seemed to think, of endless supply. And the X-Men were wiping out massive numbers of them - even if they weren't killing them. Mystique had done well leading them there but he honestly hadn't expected his father to accept help from the rest of the X-Men. And that wrecked his plans … but only a little. Even as he fought with K, drawing her further from support while she was solely focused on him - and he made sure she didn't lose the level of anger needed to keep her from  _thinking_  - he saw his chance to do damage. Sabretooth had told him not long ago that killing his father's women was the best, lasting way to hurt him. It was time to see if Creed had told him something useful.

He dodged  _into_ the swarm of black clad ninja around K, then stopped fooling around as he landed a solid hit, stabbing her through a lung and her diaphragm, as was the plan. After all, without the means to breathe, even a healer would be quickly subdued. Several brave ninja grabbed her arms to hold her still for Daken as the rest of the swarm kept the X-Men, and his father at bay. Daken watched her for a moment, not exactly  _ignoring_ the blood trickling down his arm and watching the stream of blood coming from her nose too before he smirked and kept his hand in position, knowing she couldn't heal from it if his claws were still in the way. He looked past K as she struggled for a breath, trying to spot Mystique. When he did - he smiled at her and tipped his chin her way, only to get a nod from Mystique in return. She dropped down nearly to the same place that K had stood before she morphed herself into K's image as Daken was careful to gag K  _before_ she could call out. Even a whispered cry for help would have reached Logan's ears - and that wouldn't work for his purposes.

With a smug look that did not belong on K's face, Mystique turned to the ninjas and made an impressive show of 'fighting' them back as Daken gave the silent signal for his men to clear the path so he could leave. Scott called out to K and Logan to get back to the plane, and when Mystique answered in K's voice, K realized the trouble she was in. She started to struggle to get her arms loose scrambling to get loose as they tweaked her arms further behind her, making it impossible to pop her claws. She was sure she had a way out, though her thoughts centered on the pain she was in until Daken leaned over her shoulder and twisted his wrist, softly shushing her as the ninjas tightened around them. K gasped for air, struggling to breathe, and unable to focus on anything like fighting back as they ran her out of the building and towards the waiting helicopter. "The children never were the target," Daken said as he strode toward the helicopter, smirking at her before they loaded up.

As the chopper took off, Logan's tortured snarl echoed through the building as he realized the woman he;d fought so hard to get to in the middle of the ninjas was not K at all. His sense of smell was overwhelmed by all the blood and smoke in the air from Kurt's teleporting and the smoke screens the ninja were using to confuse him, so he couldn't  _smell_ that it wasn't K until Raven had turned on him and run him through with a sword, smirking hard as she twisted the blade. Logan crumpled for a moment, out of breath - bleeding badly and still surrounded - until of course, Kurt teleported in to get him out of the line of fire.

As the chopper started to fly off, Daken smirked harder to himself, looking out of the window to see Mystique shouting at him from the rooftop. What's more, as she was frantically looking for her ride out, a swirl of indigo smoke suddenly appeared as Kurt advanced on Mystique, angry and ready to make her atone for her sins. Logan was injured, though that would pass, and several of his teammates had taken hits. Several were still fighting the ninjas while Jean and Kitty were trying to settle the kids on the jet. "What were you trying to do this time, mother?" Kurt growled out, eyes flashing and tail whipping behind him not unlike an angry cat.

"Don't try to threaten  _me_ ," Mystique spit out, still holding her discolored arm to her chest. It was clear that she would need medical help if she wanted it to heal at all. "I was betrayed by him as well."

"Perhaps that's what you get when you stoop so low as to use children for bait," Kurt growled.

Mystique looked more frustrated as she tried to find a way off the building. Daken had promised to take her with him, but it was plain for her to see, even through her denial that he had lied. And that left her vulnerable and exposed … not that she had much time to think about it before Kurt attacked her, fully intending to get her under lock and key.

The chopper hadn't gone far before K had already started to heal, though as she did, Daken was watching her with an interested expression on his face. "You're going to be as hard to kill as my father," he said as she tried to gather herself up. As she started to move, he was quick to plant his boot down on her throat to keep her still. "You'll be a tremendous help to me, you know. I've got several ideas on what might work best … " His tone was calm. "And you know, he won't go looking for you. He'll  _give up_  then wait for the telepaths to find you, then if you're lucky he'll make a point to bury your body. So I guess I'll have to do something that will numb your mind from them, and make sure that if they ever find you, there won't be enough left for him to mourn." He smirked as he looked her over a little closer, shaking his head as he motioned for one of his crew. "You're not even his type. You can't be that worthwhile, no matter what Creed said."

K's growl stuttered, and she was dizzy suddenly as she realized the crew member had given her a shot. She fought to stay awake as Daken lifted his foot from her neck which at least had her air coming easier, but her senses were fading out and she couldn't figure out  _why._

* * *

Kurt had seen the chopper take off, and of course, he watched only for a moment as Mystique raged at them to come back for her.

It didn't matter, of course. There was no way Daken would risk it - and once the short fight with Mystique was over, Kurt did his best to secure his mother so she would see justice of some sort.

As he managed a way to immobilize her, Jean's voice echoed in his head.  _We need to get the kids out of here,_ Jean projected.  _I have Kitty here - the kids are attached to her._

 _I have my mother,_  Kurt replied.  _But I don't think she deserves our clemency._

 _Not likely, no,_  Jean agreed.  _But we'll give it to her all the same._

When Logan regained his senses and his feet, he headed back toward where the fight had been, only to run into Scott - who was apparently doing a once over the site, looking for him - K - anyone that he hadn't accounted for. When the two of them saw each other in the empty warehouse, they shared a look for a long moment before Scott started toward him. "Where's K – I thought she was with you," Scott said as he stepped through the wreckage of broken ninjas and twisted weaponry.

Logan barely responded to him as he tried to keep his temper somewhat under control. "Gone. The ol' switcheroo. Mystique was playin' K until I got close enough to scent her. By the time I realized it, they were gone," Logan said in a monotone, flatly ignoring the fact that he'd been run through - and Scott was unable to  _not_ stare at the blood on his teammate that told that story. But before he could interrupt him, Logan continued sounding already a bit beyond hope. "He's gonna kill her, Scott."

Scott's jaw locked as he shook his head. "No. Not if we can help it," he replied, urging his old friend and rival to return to the jet with him. "Jean is already searching now for K or Daken or any one of the men aboard the chopper Kurt says they left on. They couldn't have gotten far."

But Logan didn't have a response to that, and knowing that they'd left in a chopper certainly had Logan at a loss to track. So, with nothing more they could do, the two of them headed back to the Blackbird. When they finally stepped on board, Abbey ran to Logan in a panic before she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was plain to see that she knew something was wrong, and Logan held her as if he'd been missing her for  _weeks_  before he tenderly kissed her on top of her head and she patted his neck.

"I think we have them on radar, Logan – look," Kitty said, pulling up the on board detection systems. Still holding his little girl, Logan headed toward the front of the jet, looking at the maps on screen. There was snow on the ground in this part of the country, still more or less the middle of winter, so the direction they were headed would determine whatever the hell it was Daken was up to. He watched the flight path on screen, frowning to himself at the direction. It didn't make any sense.

"Based on the type of chopper they were using, their range isn't really that great," Scott said. "There's a storm coming in from Russia, so we're going to have to pinpoint it fast. You know it's best if we don't have to get Storm involved." Scott was clearly analyzing the maps just as hard as Logan was as he flew them further north, following the radar signature from the chopper.

"If it's an issue, I will happily turn the blizzard the other direction," Ororo said as she let James nuzzle into her neck.

"We just have to hope that they're still on the island. If they crossed the sea of Japan, we could have trouble," Scott said. "I'd rather avoid an international incident in China or North Korea."

Logan paused at that, his attention off of the screens as he thought it over. Even with a limited range, there was a ton of territory to cover. "We're scanning all the warehouses, research and military facilities in the area. I hate to use it like this, but Adamantium shouldn't be too hard to pinpoint."

"Drop me off outside of the city," Logan said with a grim expression and a flat tone.

"We have no idea where he's supposed to be. We need a direction before you go sniffing around," Scott said as he looked up at Logan from where he was seated in the cockpit.

"I can't just stand around and wait. If I don't look now, I won't find her," Logan argued. "I have to try."

Scott paused. "Alright. You can try, but if I tell you we have a lead elsewhere -"

"Send Kurt to 'port me out."

* * *

K had no idea how much time had passed when her eyes finally fluttered open. At her first real brush with consciousness, K startled only to find that she was tied tightly, her hands and legs bound. Outside the chopper, the wind was howling and she knew they had to be getting close to whatever destination Daken had in mind by the lack of forward motion - evidenced by the lurch in her stomach when the wind caught the chopper.

Before she could start to really stir, she was doused with a bucket of icy water and the door on the side of the helicopter opened allowing frigid winter air to blast inside.

"I won't tell you where you are, just in case some silly telepath manages to stick her nose in, but I have to admit ... It was nice to meet you,  _K_. I'm sure it's even possible that under better circumstances, I might even have  _liked_ you as a step mother," Daken said before he pulled her to her feet and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Before he'd backed away from the little kiss, he stabbed her and guided her closer so that K couldn't help but to lean into him, her head on his shoulder when he broke the blade off at the handle. He even seemed to  _enjoy_ allowing her to lean on him, even going so far as to hold her in his arms as he gently directed her to the open door and unceremoniously tossed her -bound hand and foot - out of the helicopter into a near white out squall.

As K fell from the chopper, she thought for a moment she'd lucked out landing in a deep drift. At least ... it broke her fall. The landing was rough, and the impact knocked her out cold … which was exactly how she woke up, freezing and shivering as gale force winds blew around her. She got up as soon as she could force her body to move, trying to find a way out of wherever she was. She tried to stand, cringing and falling to her knees again as the sharp pain in her side complained to her. Though she was shivering uncontrollably, she knew she had no time to waste and with a monumental amount of focus, she began to untie her ropes – pulling at the knots with her teeth until her hands were freed before she reached to her side to find a wound that was bleeding freely. Something was still in there, and every movement she made caused it to move too, widening it's the path of damage inside her. But that was honestly the least of her worries.

The arctic winds on her cold wet skin had her shivering harder than she ever had in her long life - even her shivers caused the foreign object Daken had stabbed her with to cut a little deeper.

Carefully, she tried to get to her feet, her body already stiffening in the cold, her clothes had frozen to her skin, and even the blood running down her side turned to ice quickly in the bitter cold. Shivering and half hunched over K tried to look around her, which was of no help at all.

 _Nothing_ as far as she could see as the wind was blew snow everywhere. She decided to head in the direction the chopper flew off, hoping it would lead her towards civilization, and by extension, the possibility of help.

The snow was deep, and there was a crust on it maybe a foot under the soft blowing stuff on top. She sunk in every other footstep or so sinkin in anywhere from thigh deep to hip deep, struggling to keep moving as she shivered violently. When she fell through an especially deep spot, going nearly to her chest, she realized she couldn't feel her hands anymore. No matter, she had to try to keep going. Of all the stupid things to happen, she was not going to die like this, freezing in some God forsaken foreign hell hole. It took her what seemed like hours to get out of that hole, finally making some progress on a thick crust of icy snow, for a good ten minutes or so before she sunk down in another low spot.

Swearing in stuttered Swedish, K dug herself out, which was how she discovered that her arms were numb, and her fingers weren't working … and once she got herself a bit more upright, she realized her legs weren't being very cooperative either. She tried to turn her head, finally laughing to herself when she realized that her hair had frozen to her back. This wasn't shaping up to be good at all. As K thought about how to procede, even as her brain started to do strange things.

"It … would be smarter to dig into a drift," K muttered to herself before she began to look for a place to do just that. "Wait for the storm to pass …" and hope she didn't freeze to death in the process. She nodded to herself - or she would have if she'd been able to move her head properly. She had no idea how long it took her to get moving again, but when she did - it was to start looking for a drift since she was still alright enough to know that continuing to walk would have her frozen to death for sure.

* * *

In northern Japan, Logan was working - frantically searching for any sign or signal of where Daken had taken K - or even just to find Daken. But It was another six hours before Logan's earpiece went off – they'd gotten a hold of the chopper. The timeline didn't fare well in his mind. Especially when that meant it had taken nearly three hours for it to get back. Daken of course, had slipped out before the chopper landed – likely knowing full well that his father's friends would be looking for him. The crew however proved to be more helpful than Daken could have been even under the best of circumstances.

"Logan, give me your location, you're wasting your time," Scott said as Jean finished with the chopper's pilot.

On hearing it, Logan crouched down to hide on top of a warehouse roof outside the city of Kashiro. "You know where she is?" Logan asked, not even trying to hide the hopefulness in his voice.

"Kind of. She's in Russia. Hank got a hold of the Avengers. Stark and Thor are on the way - they were in Tokyo already. I gotta tell ya, Logan, your other team is pretty ticked off you didn't even  _try_ to get their help. What's the point of being on any team if you insist on going it alone all the time?" Scott said.

"Where are the kids, Scooter?" Logan asked, ignoring the commentary, particularly since he had heard it many, many times before.

"Blackbird's on its way home. You've got Hank, Jean, Storm and I to assist."

"How're we gonna get to Russia with no blackbird?"

"Stark's bringing a quinjet. We'll figure it out," Scott replied. "But right now, you need to come in so we don't have to go looking for you."

Logan didn't answer, instead turning on the pinpoint device on his com before he from the building so they could find him easier.

* * *

All things considered ...this wasn't working out too well for K. The wind was blowing badly enough that her little drift shelter kept blowing away. There was little she could do to protect herself from the cold, already half frozen as darkness fell. And it was only going to get colder. She couldn't stand upright anymore, completely hunched over as she tried to move forward. She couldn't feel the wound at her side. Her hands felt as if they were frozen solid and she couldn't feel her face or limbs. But she was still moving forward.

K found a hard patch of ground that didn't cave in on her when she walked, though, she wasn't moving very fast anymore, even with the wind at her back as she trudged onward. She was shuffling her feet and stumbling more and more often, though she didn't quite realize how badly.

After a nasty trip, K paused a moment and looked down, realizing she'd lost a boot somewhere along the line, but it didn't really register what that could  _mean_ , or how that could have happened. On seeing her own blue bare foot, she found herself fantasizing about killing Mystique as she walked down a tropical beach. Which … was odd.

From a fantasy about detailed murder, K found that she felt … hot, and though it would have made no sense to anyone that could have seen her at that moment, she began to take off her frozen jacket. Once it was off, she took a few deep, heavy breaths before she dropped the jacket in the snow and continued to walk.

* * *

When the group of heroes met up, Logan was pacing, clenching and unclenching his hands – a nervous habit when he couldn't do what he needed to.

"You alright, old man?" Tony asked, clearly addressing Logan as he paced.

"We gonna leave yet?" Logan growled, what little patience he had already worn paper thin.

"Can't do much until the leading edge of the storm passes. Even my suit will freeze up in a Russian blizzard," Tony answered as he brought up several screens for the group to analyze.

"We don't need to wait," Storm said almost in a scoff as she tipped her chin up. "Show me where we need to go and I will clear our way." Kurt smiled her way in approval. Both of them were worried for him and the little ones.

"Yeah, I'm well aware of your talents, but apparently they left her in a wildlife preserve. No aircraft allowed," Tony replied. "So clearing the weather for a jet wouldn't help us if their military comes after us."

Logan held his gaze for a moment then huffed as he walked out of the room while Scott started up the argument. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard out of you, Stark," Scott was saying as Logan stepped out. "If we can't go in, their military couldn't go out in the storm either."

"Maybe not, but they have  _missiles_ that can, Tony shot back.

What was more frustrating was the simple fact that they were sure they knew generally where she was, but they couldn't get there. And as the group argued and Logan headed for the quinjet to simply steal it himself, muttering "this is why I don't ask for help", Thor stepped out behind him.

"Logan, I think I may have a solution. I can fly you there now. The rest will quickly find a way to end this idiotic argument," Thor suggested.

Surprising him, Logan didn't hesitate before nodding and an instant later, Thor had grabbed a hold of his friend and was swinging Mjolnir, lifting the two of them into the leading front of the storm.

* * *

Snow blew over K's head as she laid on her side, staring off into the blinding whiteness around her. She could hardly move more than to shiver as the arctic winds blew down on her and even her hearing was starting to sound muffled. The sound of the chopper was such a far distant memory, K couldn't even remember what she'd been trying to listen for as the wind roared around her.

A vague memory flitted in front of her eyes, but she didn't have any opinion of it one way or another. Daken was right. No one was going to find her. But she was actually fine with that. In the back of her head, she knew that her little ones were going to spend more time in the Summer's care, and her husband was alive and well as far as she could knew. That's really all that mattered.  _They_ were safe. Her hands clenched tighter as her eyes drifted shut, and when she closed her eyes she was  _home_  in Logan's cabin. Their kids were playing at her feet as the fire crackled and the snow fell gently outside. And K felt as if she was wrapped up, leaning against Logan with his arms snugly around her, warm and cozy.


	11. Frozen

 

When Thor and Logan touched down near where the pilot had said their target area was, there was literally  _nothing_ to see. Vast rolling hills covered in white, treetops poking out here and there in the arctic blast, snow blowing, catching on any small bump in the terrain, but worst of all, Logan couldn't smell anything but snow. The two of them began to search, the snow thigh deep on Logan as they trekked across the uneven terrain.

"This is not my favorite terrain," Thor shouted as they turned into the wind to start their search.

"It's not bad if you're prepared for it," Logan argued mildly, though he was already frowning to himself. It had been  _hours_ , and God only knew what Daken had done.

When the X-Men had interrogated the pilot, he could only narrow it down to a twenty mile square area, and that simply wasn't good enough. As Logan turned in place, he bit back a growl that would have helped no one. He couldn't even find his own tracks in the squall, let alone those of his wife. The gravity of the situation seemed to increase exponentially as the facts were laid out in front of him. Looking at the wide terrain ahead, he turned to Thor. "Can you find this spot again?" he shouted to the tall blonde just to make sure he was heard over the screaming winds. Thor nodded, though one eye was closed as he tried to block the wind to see Logan more clearly. "Get Storm. If K's out here she could freeze to death before this blow lets up."

"And what of you, my friend?" Thor asked, not exactly wanting to leave him alone in such a mess.

"I'll be alright. I've got to start lookin' for her," Logan said as he leaned into the wind, and began the trek into the wilderness to start his search.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking, taking him out there? He'll freeze to death too!" Steve shouted at Thor once he'd returned to the others.

"I have faith that nothing will stop Logan from finding his wife," Thor replied, which was a fine sentiment, but not one entirely held up by the rest of the group as they read the weather conditions. Logan was used to cold weather, and they were reasonably sure K was too, but this … this was a bit colder than the weather that even they would willingly traverse into. A Siberian blizzard fueled by arctic winds when they were only armed with simple jackets … that was pressing their luck.

The team packed up quickly and headed out and as they did, Storm was sure to part the clouds and give them a clear, quiet space not only to fly into the winds, but to look for her once they hit the ground. When they found him, Logan simply picked up pace as the wind cleared the way for him, searching for a sign in the snow.

The group at large had been working for nearly an hour when Jean shared a grim, worried look with her husband. She could find no sign of K in the barren landscape, and even though the ferals were hard to track or to reach out to, she could usually get a glimpse if she was close enough and trying hard. And Jean really was trying hard, yet … there was no indication of K's mental signature. Stark was having trouble with his sensors too. For some reason or another, there was some kind of interference that was keeping his scanners from functioning properly and reaching far enough out to do any good. Kurt had wandered nearly to the edge of Storm's still spot, searching hard and looking out through the wall of snow Storm was holding back. He wasn't expecting to find anything and even without all the wind. Tony made a point to join him, the two of them looking grim and serious as they looked around them. Considering all of their gear, and Kurt's fur, the two of them were the warmest, though Kurt was shivering and Tony's suit was working overtime to keep him warm.

Kurt let out a nearly inaudible sigh before he teleported to the other side of the bubble Storm was holding back the snow and wind with and Tony couldn't help but begin to come to the same conclusion. Tony was just turning where he stood so he could see where the others were looking when he nearly tripped on something in a larger pile of snow. He frowned and used the toe of his boot to try and kick some of the snow away, but when it only revealed what looked like fabric… "Scan that," Tony said to his onboard AI, frowning as the faceplate snapped down.

Scott had turned just as Tony's armor got to work, frowning to himself as he watched Tony scan that  _one_ pile of snow. He took a few steps toward him as Jean's eyebrows went up.  _He found something_ , she said, then floated toward where Tony was starting to pull out a very frozen jacket.

He held it in his hands for a moment, openly shocked at what it was. This … did not look good. Even as Tony brushed off the snow and ice frozen into the folds of the jacket, it was painfully clear they were on the right track when he spotted the X-Men insignia shining up from the stiff mass.

"Logan …." Tony called out, almost holding the jacket at arm's length. "Got something."

Logan's head whipped up, and it was obvious even from where Tony stood that Logan was holding his breath on seeing the jacket. He made his way over quickly and snatched it from Tony before he did his best to try and get a scent.

"She can't be too damn far," Logan nearly whispered as he looked up to meet Stark's gaze. "This shouldn't be this frozen, unless …" he let the sentiment fall as he scrunched up his brow considering the possibilities then began circling out from that point, unable to find any sign of tracks indicating which way she may have gone. "Storm! Center yourself right here," Logan called out.

Ororo barely did more than look to where Logan stood before she rushed to him, the center of the stillness following her closely enough that the rest of them made sure to stay near her until they saw what was happening. Stark began to scan what he thought the most likely direction – looking for vital signs only to frown when Logan corrected him on what to look for.

"Don't look for vital signs. Look for the metal," Logan said, his jaw set.

Which wasn't what Jean  _or_ Scott wanted to hear - that Logan was already trying to prepare himself for the worst possible outcome. For a moment, the two of them watched him work, coldly watching the wind patterns as they swirled around the little bubble the group was in before he tipped his head and chose a direction from where the jacket had been found.  _Scott_ , Jean projected out, even her mental voice sounded entirely distraught.

 _There's still hope,_ Scott replied.  _She's tough. Just as tough as he is._

_I know. But …_

_No buts. We'll find her._

It was clear that Logan wasn't of the same mindset though. He was looking incredibly grim, no emotion visible as he tried to track.

As Logan worked, Storm had kept back the wall of snow and wind. When no path was openly clear, Logan put his back to where the wind blew and began to walk from where the jacket had been found.

The others quickly caught on and did the same - fanning out and covering ground alongside him - no telling if K had walked in a straight line or not, after all.

A few hundred yards from the jacket and veering slightly to the east, Kurt was the one to find K frozen to the ground, partially buried in a snow drift and half naked, curled up on herself, ice embedded in her eyelashes and hair, and her overall hue was nearly white. Kurt called out for Logan and started digging to clear the snow, swearing to himself in every language he knew.

Logan led the charge to where Kurt and K were, quick to fall next to Kurt and dive right in trying to get her up out of the snow and ice. As the two of them got her uncovered from the snow, it was clear exactly how dire things were. K's eyes were closed and her arms were crossed over her chest, her hands under her arms. She was curled up on her side, the wound clearly visible and crystalline where the edges of the flesh had frozen. Her ankles were crossed and her knees were as close to her chest as her breasts would allow.

Kurt was praying rapidly - all the way up until Scott snapped him out of it with an order to go grab blankets out of the quinjet. Logan's hands were shaking as he brushed what little snow was left still from her waxy skin. It was pretty clear he was on the edge of a panic attack, whispering out 'no' over and over.

As Logan began to come undone, Kurt reappeared with the blankets and Scott prompted them on what exactly needed to be done. "Check for a pulse," Scott said, earning a frown from Kurt as he was trying to simply wrap her up.

Several things happened at once. Tony raised an arm, already starting a scan, not willing to wait as Hank pushed past the shell shocked group to crouch low, resting his ear on the icy cold skin of K's back, his eyes closed as he tried to concentrate and Scott quickly pulled Logan back to give Hank some room.

"I can't get the damn thing to work," Tony was saying, clearly frustrated, but as he started to get wound up, Hank had enough.

"HUSH," Hank snarled, before he closed his eyes again and held his breath. The group as a whole simply stared at each other as the seconds ticked on. Logan was almost beyond reach, as he stared at the frozen scene in front of him, unable to ignore the missing boot, her foot blue and bare against the snow, the fact that her hair was frozen to her body. And as he started to get more twisted up, Scott only squeezed his shoulder tighter.

"Get a stretcher.  _Now_ ," Hank said quietly, as he made up his mind.

"Hank - "

"She's not dead until she's warm and dead. There's still a heartbeat," Hank said as he removed his thick coat, and began to wrap it around her. Hank couldn't help but glance up at Logan with light dancing in his gaze "I'll do all I can. You know I will."

Logan nodded and moved forward, almost shrugging Scott's hand off his shoulder as he started helping Hank more. "Don't die on me, sweetheart," Logan whispered low as they arranged her amid the blanket and coat so that Kurt could move her.

"Be sure not to try and move her limbs," Hank warned. Which only made it more eerie when she was rolled onto her back and her arms and legs stayed frozen into position as they were moments before.

With a shared look, Kurt teleported first K and Hank - and then Logan into the quinjet. Once she was on board, the team made their way back quickly as Hank cut away the remainder of her clothes, being very careful to not rip off skin that was frozen to the fabric. When she was prepped at least that far, and they were airborne, Hank called for Tony to scan the wound.

"Without proper medical equipment, I can't begin to assess that wound, but you can. There must be something inside it or she would have healed before she froze," Hank told him low as Tony agreed speaking only to direct his AI on what to do.

The computerized voice broke the silence. " _There is an eight inch long carbonadium blade, surrounded by substantial damage that has affected kidney, liver, diaphragm, and appears to have nicked her heart as well_."

Hank looked grim at the news, but nodded all the same. "I was hoping it wasn't that bad," he said quietly as he began to look for anything that may help her on board. "What's the nearest secure medical facility?"

Tony didn't hesitate before prompting the computer system to answer. "There is a helicarrier halfway over the pacific. It happens to be the one that Fury is aboard," Tony said as he looked to Logan, who simply couldn't think clearly enough to make any kind of decision, though he really didn't have to with his team around him.

"What are you waiting for?" Kurt asked. "Take her there.  _Now_."

As Tony changed course, Hank turned back to Logan. "We don't have the things we need to warm her here. But, she needs to be warmed up immediately. Are you up for it?"

"Is that really the only option right now?" Scott asked, even as Logan simply pulled his uniform top off and made his way over to curl around her as much as he could.

"If I had a better option, I'd employ it," Hank insisted, covering both of them with blankets. "Be careful of the wound, Logan. I can't do a thing about the blade until she's thawed enough to get it out. We'll know we can move forward when the blood starts to flow."

Logan had positioned himself behind her, spooning her tightly. It didn't take time before he shivered involuntarily as the cold radiated from her. By the time the group reached the helicarrier, Logan was shivering violently, clutching to her, praying that what little he had left in the realm of body heat would do anything for her. The medical team was waiting for them with a gurney and supplies, though they nearly had to pull Logan away, his hands clenched into fists as he shook, his teeth chattering despite his best efforts to have a little composure.

Fury himself draped a blanket over his shoulders as the medical team placed monitors on K. "You know if she can be revived, we'll do it," Fury said as evenly as he could.

Logan's jaw was already locked tight as he nodded, ignoring Fury largely as he stuck to her side. "No of-fense, Nick. B-but did you ever clean h-house?" Logan stuttered as they walked to the medical bay.

"As a matter of fact, old man, I did. This particular boat is full of nothing but hand picked agents and operatives."

"Medical?"

"All are clear. Used Stark and your friend, Braddock to check them all out. I can't say the same for the other outfits, but this one is clean," Fury assured him.

All motion in the medical bay ceased as the readings came up. The doctors stared for a moment, stunned at the results.

"What's the problem, doctors – you never see a frozen person before?" Fury barked, which of course got them moving a bit quicker.

"Yes, we have sir...but … not quite like this. At least Captain Rogers wasn't injured - and he had the protection of the ice," The blonde doc replied as she worked feverishly to clean K's wound, scanning to see the depth of her injuries.

"Then I guess you need to be better than you were with him. Do your best work," Fury directed. "Logan, why don't you come with me. You need to warm up."

But Logan shook his head. "No. I have to be here, with her. If she dies, I don't want her alone."

"That is the wrong attitude, soldier. From what I understand, she's every bit as tough as you, and in my experience dealin' with you? You'd be smart to warm up and be ready to take care of her."

"Thought you two didn't like each other," Logan said as he pulled on a sweatshirt that was clearly a size or two too big.

Fury chuckled at that. "She doesn't like me. That doesn't mean I don't like her."

"I need to be with her. I should have seen this comin'. I screwed up," Logan said as he tried to take responsibility for all of it.

"Well damn, Logan. I didn't know you were psychic too. You  _knew_ that Daken was going to chuck her into a snowstorm and you didn't warn her?" Fury said, looking incredulous.

"No -"

"And you  _knew_ he was going to kidnap your kids and you didn't  _tell_ anyone?"

"Damnit, you know that's not what I flamin' well mean -"

"No, you mean to blame yourself. Knock it off. I have a feelin' she'd slap the hell outta you if she heard you trying to take responsibility for Daken's twisted plots and orchestrations."

"But-"

"Don't even start on how he's your responsibility. He was stolen, twisted and turned into a sociopath without your knowledge or consent. Had you been there, I got a feelin' you'd have kicked the boy's ass when he needed it," Fury said firmly. "Now I'm tired of you beatin' yourself up over things you had no control over." Just then, an alarm went off on one of the devices on K, and a doctor hastily rushed to turn it off as the non-medical people in the room stared at them.

"Sorry, director. It was just telling us her temp is still dropping. The alarm is off now," the shaky nurse said as Logan leveled his glare at her.

"You're warming her up – why the hell is she getting colder?" Logan demanded, though Fury stepped forward and rested his hand on Logan's chest.

"It seems backwards, but it's all part of the rewarming process. It's complicated, but normal," the nurse replied.

"Let them do their job. You scarin' the hell out of them isn't going to heat her up any faster," Fury said, trying to direct Logan elsewhere.

The frightened nurse watched him for a moment as he continued to shiver. She bit her lip, and stepped away from K to pull out some monitors and cautiously made her way over to Logan. "I think I need to get your vitals, too," she said, though there was an audible shake to her voice.

"Like hell. Take care of my wife," Logan snarled.

"No, sir, you don't understand. We're going to have to clear the room, you'll have to leave – unless, that is, you're a patient," she finished, as she held up the leads and looked nervously between Logan and Fury.

It was clear that Logan thought it over for a moment before he finally nodded once.

"Nice job, Lieutenant. Found a way around protocol. Though truth be told, I wasn't going to kick him out, but this is probably better anyhow," Fury said, turning to Logan. "Let me show you to your bed, old man."

Logan let out a little soundless laugh to himself as he watched Fury pull a gurney up very near to K, so he could stay close without being in the way.

"I'm sorry, but it will be a while before we know if she'd had any progress," that same nurse said as she put the leads on Logan's chest.

He leaned back as he watched them arrange heated warming blankets around K's still curled up form. Several nurses were working to get heated saline IV's and set up the very aggressive looking bypass machine meant to heat her blood up slowly while her pulse showed almost non-existent on the monitors. Already a team was working to pull themselves together to remove the blade in K's side. No one knew if she'd make it, even with her healing factor in fine working order, this nonsense with the carbonadium was not something anyone with any sense was optimistic about.


	12. Warming Up

The remainder of the team was quietly ushered out of the med bay shortly after K's heart began to beat with a little stronger rhythm– it hadn't shown on the monitors yet, but the bleeding restarted. One moment the wound was just starting to thaw, and the next she was bleeding almost freely. The medics pushed in closer to do a very quick field-style surgery, ignoring the need for antiseptic procedures as per Fury's warning earlier to "get the damn thing out so she can fix it herself." Logan couldn't stop himself from doing anything but just watching all of it, the growl right on the precipice and threatening to spill out. He was feeling positively guilty, enough that he didn't entirely register it when one of the medics tapped his arm for blood to give her.

Within an hour of removing the blade, and cleaning the wound, the team of doctors was able to straighten out her limbs and consistently find a heartbeat, albeit a somewhat unsteady one - jumping from very slow to extremely fast with no warning. The damage to her extremities were exactly as they'd be for anyone else, though all that was visible to Logan was her hands and nose - both blistered and very likely to blacken. It was very touch and go, and not long after her heart began to do its job, the medical staff made the decision to put her on a respirator. The doctor in charge turned to Logan once that bit of work was done.

"I have to tell you, she's doing remarkably well, even if it doesn't look like it. There is a very good chance that she'll bounce back with a slow thaw. I've worked on several people in very similar circumstances, so it's not uncommon even in the non-healing sect," the doctor said.

"Were they stabbed through the liver and kidney too?" Logan drawled out, looking entirely unamused.

"Well, no," the doctor admitted. "But like I said … they didn't have healing abilities like she does. Her files say she's remarkably quick in that respect." The doctor, turned back to K as Logan stared holes in the back of his head. If looks could kill...

The slow warming process the doctor was using was a sound process, according to Hank once he got a moment to opine to Logan, and within another hour, K's eyes scrunched down tighter, and her heart rate jumped, which at least showed the medical staff that she was in pain as she started to revive. The doctor in charge breathed an obvious sigh of relief as Logan sat up, ready to do whatever he could to  _help_ her.

"Welcome back," the doctor said to K with a little smile before he reached up to switch off the light over her head. "Can you hear me? My name is Dr. Lillegard. You're on a SHIELD Helicarrier over the Pacific ocean. You nearly froze solid out there." K frowned and kept her eyes shut tightly. "Your husband here has been climbing the walls. I think you scared him half to death." Dr. Lillegard nodded to Logan in a silent gesture for him to come closer, not that he needed to. In a heartbeat, Logan had already slipped to her side, gently resting his hand on K's. Her hands were covered in large watery blisters – a side effect of her skin freezing, and a sure sign that she would be kicking into gear with the healing sooner than later. Logan leaned over to kiss her temple, though it was clear, even to him, that she was on the verge of a complete emotional breakdown.

"Can you move, sweetheart?" Logan asked her gently.

K concentrated hard, and tried to focus on simply moving her head but she wasn't able to do it. At all. Which, wasn't surprising at all when K still wasn't breathing on her own.

"She may be paralyzed for a while," Dr. Lillegard said as he looked over at Logan while he continued to check K over. "It's common when they come in as cold as she was. For a normal person, it might take months to recover. Unfortunately, I have no way of guessing how it will go for her."

Logan nodded as he watched K unable to do more than close her eyes tightly. She couldn't even panic properly with the ventilator breathing for her. As she was losing her grip and inwardly melting down, Logan stepped in a little closer and very carefully kissed her temple. "I'll get Jeannie in here for you. Just try to calm down. I know you gotta be losin' it."

He didn't do more than reach out to Jean before his old friend and Scott were on their way back to the medical bay, and Jean had pushed to reach K from the moment Logan had asked for her.  _We're here - you're not stuck with SHIELD_ , Jean promised, but K honestly wasn't focused enough to understand what exactly that meant, so Jean did the only thing that felt reasonable to her - and put K back to sleep.

When she got into the medical suite where Logan and K were, Jean simply rested her hand on Logan's shoulder with a soft sort of smile. "She's sleeping now," she whispered to him. "Which should make it so at least she's not panicking."

Logan covered her hand with his in thanks as both she and Scott took positions to watch over the two little ferals. Most of the team had headed back to Westchester while they waited for SHIELD and Nick Fury to release her - though Storm had been sure to give Fury a warning of her own on what she thought should he try to keep her there  _too_ long. "I know these helicarriers are designed to take a beating," Storm had said as they left Fury's bridge. "But I also know that you've always been careful to pilot them away from the worst gales and hurricanes." She fixed him with a dark glare. "It would be a shame if you were to run into bad weather."

"I trust that nothing like that would happen while your friends are on board," Fury replied with a glare of his own.

"They're resilient, as you well know," Storm said. "But perhaps this is one time that Logan's old guilty means of thinking is true: you might just be safer if they aren't here."

"They'll be on their way out as soon as she can get along without assistance," Fury replied calmly after a long stare down with her. "As was the plan all along."

"Pray you stick to that plan," Storm replied with her chin tipped up before Kurt fixed Fury with a matching glare and the two of them teleported away leaving Fury shaking his head to the predicament he found himself in.

When Fury came back into the medical bay to find the X-Men that had remained sitting vigil with K and Logan, hours had passed, yet she was still asleep under Jean's suggestion. "How she doin'?" he asked. The little team of X-Men had situated themselves around the room, and as Fury entered, every single one of them was watching him warily.

"Paralyzed, apparently," Logan replied in a weary tone.

Fury nodded at that and let out a breath as he stopped on the other side of K's bed - watching not only her, but the X-Men around her. "She'll be fine. She's alive – that's all she needs to fix herself up." He glanced over to Scott, who looked slightly more lock-jawed than he had seen him last - emphasized more when Fury pulled up a chair and got comfortable. This was one of those things he was willing to wait out if need be.

Most of the X-Men had relaxed as they waited. It had taken some time, but finally, K's stats began to jump all over the monitors. Where she was once calm and sleeping, she very suddenly looked as if she were choking, her situation only exacerbated by the fact that she was unable to sit up or move her head or signal for help as she shook, nearly convulsing. Jean was on her feet alongside Logan - as both of them searched for away to help, though Dr. Lillegard rushed in and quickly put his hands on K's shoulders trying to calm her down. "Mrs. Howlett, I need you to calm down, calm down please," Lillegard said. "As soon as you calm down, I can get that breathing tube out, but I can't do it while you're panicking. Please."

Wide-eyed, K still needed a few moments to force the panic down, though she still wasn't able to move more than the coughing gave her room to do. She finally gave him a stiff nod as her eyes watered, staring at him as he counted her down then quickly pulled out the tube. A moment later, K was coughing violently, and the doctor made sure to give her the support she needed to get through the coughing fit, finally getting her to lay back and close her eyes as she caught her breath.

"You do heal quickly. The last woman that was in your position took ten days to wake up and was on a respirator for over a month. Take your time catching your breath," Lillegard advised. "You still need to relax."

K nodded minutely as the tall blonde rolled her to her side, and did what he could to assess the stab wound … or where it had once been. "Look at that. Like it never happened," Lillegard said in a tone of awe, almost smiling to himself, though he didn't realize the effect it had on the others."Amazing."

It was clear that Logan really didn't like the way the doctor was looking at his wife, and a growl escaped his lips before he could even register it was there. Lillegard looked more than a little taken back and quickly rearranged K, and moved on to examining her once again flawless hands – the blisters and blackness at the fingertips gone with no sign they ever existed. "Can you move now?" Lillegard asked gently.

K pushed to pick up her head and tried to wiggle her hand – and though she managed to get her chin halfway to her chest, she couldn't manage so much as a twitch from her hands or feet.

"Get her food," Logan said, startling Lillegard a little. "She'll heal faster if you feed her."

K tipped her head toward Logan with a warm little smile. "Hi, love," she whispered with a grin, though her eyes were barely open. The little familiar welcome won her a crooked smirk as her head fell back into the pillow. "How did you find me?"

"Dumb luck, darlin'. Stark found your coat," Logan told her as he stroked her hair.

"Why did you take off your coat?" Jean asked as she sat down on the chair opposite Fury.

When K frowned at that though, Dr. Lillegard cut in. "It's called paradoxical undressing," he said. "It's  _extremely_ common in hypothermia victims. When their body temperature drops, they feel as if they're burning up, so they remove their clothes in an effort to cool down. But she may not ever  _remember_ it."

Logan cupped her face as she leaned into his hand. She frowned to herself after a moment, but before she could ask, Logan answered her question. "Kids're home. Kitty and Pete have it under control." K leaned back into her pillow again with a mouthed out 'thank you, love' that had Fury shaking his head at them.

"What was that?" Fury asked.

"What?" Logan said, half defensively.

"That," Fury said gesturing to the two of them, glaring at both of them.

"I think it's pretty normal for a mother of  _three_ to want to know where her kids are," Logan said, giving Fury a glare of his own. "Especially after they were missin' last she knew."

Jean spoke up with a stern look on her face. "It's a fair concern." Scott was on his feet, ready to start a fight if need be.

"But she didn't  _say_  anything. Is there something new between you two I should know about?" Fury asked.

"Out of bounds, and also, no," Scott said, thinking about the odd little rapport the two of them had, and convinced that this was a case of Fury over reacting to something so odd as  _good_ parenting in their little community of heroes. "Kitty and Piotr did the same thing more or less when they got together, only for them it was to make sure that the kids were unhurt. It's  _not_ odd." Scott held Fury's gaze as well as he could, though the director had no idea how close he was to simply getting blasted right out of the medical bay. "And seeing as she almost died-"

"I wasn't that bad was I?" K asked sleepily, though her eyes remained closed. "I was just a little cold."

"Excuse you,  _Mrs. Howlett_. Yes. Yes you damn well were  _that bad_ ," Fury said, his expression somewhere between concerned and disbelieving. "You were damn near as frozen as Cap was."

Logan chuckled to himself and Fury turned his way with the full force of a glare. "She's too tired to tell you what she's thinkin', and I sure as hell don't need to be a psychic to figure out that it's smart assed, ' _Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD_ '," Logan said with a smirk.

"Yeah, as long as she don't carve it into my  _desk_ , I think we'll be just fine," Fury replied, the heat to his tone gone a lot faster than the X-Men thought him capable. "Logan, you think you can take a minute and chat with me now?"

Logan turned toward K for a moment before stealing a little kiss. "Be right back, darlin'. Don't go runnin off now _._ "

"Oh, I'll try not to," K replied, her eyes still closed as she began to drift off under Jean's watchful eye.

Logan smirked at that and rested his hand on her forehead for a moment. "Jeannie, you stickin' around here?"

"Yes, I think I should. Go ahead. I'll stay with her," Jean assured him just before Scott stole a kiss from Jean - and then promptly left with Logan and Fury, feeling a bit at odds with nothing to do as Hank and Dr. Lillegard discussed K's condition. And … there was no way in hell he was letting Logan go off alone considering how hard Fury had worked to get K to talk to him last time he'd gotten interested in the two of them.

* * *

"I'm not going to say anything to anyone about your wife having been here," Fury said after the room cleared.

"That's good to know seein' as it ain't anyone's damn business anyhow," Logan growled out.

"Actually, it  _is_  my business to know everything about everyone, including their limitations and secrets," Fury said. "But you? You seem to run around just  _looking_ for new ways to get all the wrong people looking your way. You're a damn attention whore is what you are."

Scott snickered at that, though he managed to recover even as Fury and Logan turned his way, and in the span of three heartbeats, he was back to his  _mostly_ stoic self. "Now as far as today,  _I_ was thinking that no one should know that she received care here," Fury said carefully. "Far as I'm concerned, we should write her down as  _dead_. Maybe it'll keep the bad guys off your tail for a while."

"Uh huh. That's great, Director, but what about Lillegard and his assistants? Are they trustworthy enough to keep their mouths shut?" Scott asked.

Fury's mouth drew tight as he considered it. "It won't be an issue. We'll scrub their memories of the event," he replied, though Logan bristled instantly. "But right now, we have to get you and your group back to Westchester. Unless, you want to go somewhere  _else_ , Logan."

Logan opened his mouth to argue the mindwipes - even though it was truly for his benefit, but Scott cut in. "I think it'd be best to regroup," he said. "Make sure everyone's clear and clean and  _safe_  before you consider any other options." Scott was sure to hold Logan's gaze, hoping like hell that Logan caught on without needing Jean to step in. Especially since the moment they'd walked into the room, Scott could no longer  _hear_ Jean in his head - which could only mean that Fury's office had a telepathic shield of some sort. Not that Scott was surprised.

Logan held Scott's gaze for only a moment or two before he turned back to Fury. "If I find one tracker on any  _one_ of us, I'm comin' back to stick it where you don't want me to."

Fury let out a patient breath at that. "I didn't put any trackers on anyone."

"Not  _you_ personally," Scott muttered, leaving Fury in the lurch since all three men knew that the likelihood of  _not_ finding a tracker was next to nothing. But when Fury didn't respond, Logan turned and fell into step side by side with Scott - and Fury caught up to take up Logan's other side.

When the three men returned to the med bay, K was soundly asleep with Thor watching over her with Jean and Hank. Logan sat down next to K, rubbing the bridge of his nose as K mumbled something in her sleep. There was still a long way for her to go before they could leave, and already, they'd managed to bring up the paranoia levels in the room well past acceptable levels.

* * *

When K finally woke up again, Logan was keeping watch over her, not trusting the doctors, no matter what Fury had said. He was particularly concerned over Lillegard. He was far too interested in K in the same manner that experimental scientists were interested in her.  _Reveling_ in watching her shake off her injuries. Though he'd been sitting up at her side for hours, Logan wouldn't leave her … not until Jean promised with a flicker of fire in her gaze to keep watch so he could get a drink – hot coffee at Fury's suggestion.

Of course, as a matter of security, Scott left with him, keeping watch even if he, too, was starting to really show the wear of needing some sleep.

When Logan and Scott returned with Fury in tow  _again_ , they were glad to see K had finally woken up. What they weren't expecting however, was to find K and Dr. Lillegard conversing  _rapidly_ in Swedish with Thor throwing in his two cents from time to time as he sat at the foot of her bed. The three of them seemed to be having a great time with a rousing discussion that had Jean outright grinning at them.

"Do you understand this?" Scott asked quietly - soft enough that he knew only Logan would have heard him.

Logan tipped his head. He was catching bits and pieces – but only that which translated closely to German. When Scott turned to face him fully, Logan had to shrug. "It's on my to-do list."

"You speak  _Swedish_?" Fury asked with a frown as K turned toward the three of them.

"Of course," K said as Lillegard grinned at her.

"It's very close to what your people used to speak when my father rid this realm of frost giants," Thor said with a bright grin as K started to gently pull the covers back - with Lillegard scolding her as she put her legs over the edge and then grabbed his arm for support.

"You have to heal more.  _Please_ , sit back. The nerves are not repaired yet," Lillegard told her, looking distraught.

" _Vara tyst_. You know nothing about what I need to do," K shot back as she started to slip off of the bed. Before she could get any weight on her legs, Logan stepped forward to hold onto her. When her feet hit the ground she couldn't stop the shiver, even through the thick socks on her feet. " _Helvete,_  it's  _cold_ in here."

"Sweetheart, it's plenty warm, you're just not thawed out enough yet," Logan told her as he stepped in closer to her, positively pushing Lillegard clear out of the way, to K's delighted smile.

"Maybe you need to warm me up?" K teased before taking a more solid hold of her beloved. When she put her weight on her legs, they buckled, and Logan caught her before she could hit the floor, though he was wearing an almost obnoxious smirk as she held onto him.

"Well  _this_ is familiar,." he said with a more crooked smirk. She couldn't help but agree with him as she thought back to how he'd helped her like this once before – in Hank's lab very shortly after they'd met. That little encounter was only made better with a little walk with him to the woods that turned into searing kisses and an evening that took a very heated turn. Without thinking about it she leaned in for a long and involved kiss to the embarrassment of nearly every SHIELD agent around them as the memories flooded her mind.

"Ever my hero," she purred almost inaudibly as he held her close. "Always pullin' me out of trouble. Must be  _exhausting_."

"Almost as exhausting as it is for you getting  _into_ trouble," Logan countered, which had K scrunching up her nose with a broad grin.

"Are you two going to need a  _room_ or can you just load up and take it  _off my boat_?" Fury asked, his hands on his hips.

"Are you sure you don't want a dissertation on what happened?" K drawled out to him as she tried to regain some balance, peeking over Logan's shoulder at him.

"Like I told your husband and his shadow, as far as I'm concerned, you were never  _here_. Isn't that right, Doc?" Fury replied.

"Absolutely. There's no record of you being here, though it was a pleasure to not meet you, my dear," Lillegard replied with a kind smile.

"And since you were never here, it's high time to get you out," Fury said with a finality, though it was clear that K still wasn't trusting him. "You're fueled up and ready to go, as long as the good doctor here is willing to release you."

"Seeing as she will have a doctor on board, keeping her here would be selfish," Lillegard said quietly, which earned an instant bristle from Logan as the tall blonde smiled at her. "I hope we don't have to meet again soon, miss."

"Likewise," K agreed as Logan's hand slipped down to rest on her hip possessively.

"The next time we meet, I hope you are with us, fighting rather than playing damsel," Thor said with a smile that had K more than a little unsure of how to respond, until finally, she simply nodded once his direction and turned to kiss Logan's cheek.

"I love you," she whispered in Logan's ear as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Let's please get out of here. I want to curl up with you … and the little ones if they can snuggle quietly."

"Doubt that'll be hard to do," Logan replied. "Besides, they're waitin'."

* * *

Translations from Swedish:

 _Vara tyst -_ Be quiet.

 _Helvete_ \- equivalent to 'damnit'


	13. What Comfort Zone?

The flight back to the Institute from the helicarrier was uneventful aside from the fact that K had started to shiver uncontrollably once they were airborne and away from the heating devices that had warmed her up initially. Logan didn't bother to ask if she was alright before pulling her onto his lap on the floor and wrapping blankets around the both of them. But it still took well over an hour for her to warm up enough to stop. That on its own had left her incredibly sore.

When they finally made it back to Westchester, Kitty and Charles met them with the little ones, who of course mobbed their parents on sight. The ferals didn't stick around before they got themselves settled in at the boathouse, though Logan was almost laughing at his three little troublemakers when he couldn't get them to go to bed. Naturally, they insisted on joining their parents instead. It had been a hard few days for them, after all. K didn't mind one bit, and even tickled them as she snuggled up with them half piled between Logan and herself, all of them covered up and cozy.

Once she'd gotten in bed, K had pulled the blanket up to her ears and had passed out almost as soon as she'd stopped teasing them and gotten comfortable. Rose was nearest to her with her hand on K's cheek as she slept. K was still smiling lightly as she drifted off to sleep with Logan watching her and relaxing with them, even with James yanking on his sideburns. When the little ones were soundly asleep, he carefully picked each one up and put them to bed before climbing back in with his wife. He pulled her over to him as tightly as he could, burying his nose in her hair and letting the relief finally wash over him. Sleepily, K rolled in his arms to face him, sliding her hand onto his neck as he kissed her. It was clear the two of them just needed the time, and for the moment, he was perfectly happy just to not let her out of his reach.

* * *

For the first few weeks back, anytime K would get a chill it would take her  _hours_ to warm up. There wasn't enough hot coffee or tea in the western hemisphere to heat her up when she got cold, and she found that for her, the only real remedy was a scorching hot shower then wrapping herself up with a blanket and Logan, not that he was complaining in the least. When Hank opined that having Logan in the equation was probably a bit over the top, Scott was the one to shock most of them when he defended her insistence. "If she says she needs him, she needs him," Scott said, which honestly only had Jean smiling at him and curling into him more comfortably herself.

Initially, seeing K shiver made Logan's stomach flip as he remembered her violent shaking on the jet home, but by the time it began to ebb, he almost looked forward to seeing her scrunched up on herself as she rushed across the lawn to him, trying to make herself smaller as she hurried, only to slip her arms around him and snuggle into his chest 'for warmth.' Then of course, once she was warm, she always made a point of thanking him thoroughly and  _creatively_.

No one was pushing her to come back to practice, and she was cuddling James, having tea with Charles and Jean while Abbey tried to keep Rachel and Rose from biting each other when Scott came in asking K to join him on a quick pick up.

"Ah – isn't Logan back yet?" K asked, which was precisely when Charles realized that she hadn't done  _one_ mission since her return nearly six weeks ago.

"No, he's still with the Avengers. Come on, we have to rush this one," Scott said as he stepped toward the door.

"I don't think so," K said quietly.

Scott turned around slowly, frowning to himself as he watched her for a moment. "Why not?"

"I just - can't." K shrugged up one shoulder and tipped her head toward James, who was snuggled in with his head on her chest and half asleep.

"Come on, K. Quit screwing around and suit up. I need your help." He looked torn between trying to be motivational and irritated.

"Scott, maybe you should get Laura," Charles said evenly, which only sealed it for Scott. He looked over to K and James just long enough to make it clear that he couldn't believe that she wasn't interested in working with him for a simple mission.

He muttered out a disgruntled sounding 'Fine' as he left, but it was clear to Charles anyhow that Jean was trying to soothe him - even from a distance. Charles waited until James had fallen asleep before he breached the subject. "K, what's wrong?" Charles asked gently but to begin with, K simply didn't answer, and instead simply held James a bit tighter as he slept - his little hand resting on her neck as he slumbered on. K shook her head and tried to ignore him - instead watching Rose joyfully play with Rachel and Michael. "I see. Daken got to you and now you don't want to leave the little ones."

"They're just so small. I've been reckless," K replied finally. "We both have. I  _know_  I came close when I froze. I know what it's like to lose a parent - and I don't want to miss them growing up."

"Does Logan know how you feel about this?" Jean asked, frowning to herself, though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"We haven't talked about it, but I think so. He didn't really want me going on missions anyhow," K replied.

Jean and Charles shared a look, a quick telepathic conversation happening as they weighed it out. But though it certainly wasn't unusual for the X-Men to run through team members, neither of them had considered that K would just … back away. Not when she'd been so front and center for as long as she'd been with them. It was  _nice_ to have someone that could help pull Logan out of trouble, so to hear she was having second thoughts about what they were doing ...

 _It's not like we don't know how easy it is to get burnt out on a thankless job that earns you psychotic, obsessive enemies that have nothing better to think about than than making you miserable,_ Jean projected to Charles with a tone of bitterness.

 _Yes, I suppose I should have expected it sooner_ , Charles replied.  _Especially considering all of the other circumstances she's been forced to deal with since coming here - Logan's enemy list alone would be more than enough to dissuade even our most resilient allies._

 _Although that's true?_ Jean projected back to him.  _If you phrase it like that to her, I'll blame you if they move out._

 _I'd never say it like that to her,_ Charles promised, though as he did so, he was sure to pour a bit more tea for all three of them, trying to decide how best to approach it.

It wasn't long before K took her little ones back to the boat house to finish out their naps and to try to settle in. She was trying  _very_ hard to be a good mother, and in the process, she was acting less like herself the more she threw herself into it. What she didn't know was that Logan had noticed the changes, and was under the impression that it was a temporary thing - a way of coping with the near miss. But … when it became apparent it wasn't he realized he didn't need Scott's peptalk to take the bull by the horns. But he was got it anyhow.

Logan had barely gotten back from his mission with the Avengers when Scott stepped out of the ready room - arms crossed and a little frown in place. "She needs some motivation, Logan," Scott said in lieu of a greeting, then fell into step with him as he wove through the underground halls.

"Yeah, I know," Logan said, almost distracted. He was worn out and pretty battered from the scuff up with Hydra. "I just don't know what the hell I can do about it."

"Well … get creative," Scott said, frowning. Logan stopped in his tracks and turned to face Scott, though of course, Scott didn't back off or elaborate.

"I've got it, Slim," Logan said, holding one hand up. "Just … don't get in the middle."

"She turned me down flat," Scott said - deciding to keep the slate clean, if he could. "It was an easy run, but she didn't even want to hear it."

"Alright, I got it, I got it."

Scott's lips pursed as he watched Logan go, no doubt already working on a plan of his own if Logan couldn't get K to cooperate.

On the way to the boat house, Logan was sure to pick up one of her uniforms from the locker room, smirking to himself as he looked at the new lines Jean had arranged to be put into it. He waved off Jubilee, and side stepped around the sisters that K had brought with her before he made a beeline for the boathouse. From outside, he could smell that Kitty and Jean were inside with their little ones - but the kids weren't making a peep.

He let himself in and smirked when he saw the way the kids were snuggled up and sleeping in a couple of little piles. Of course, that was all he did before he tossed the uniform at K. "C'mon, sweetheart. You got a danger room session in ten minutes." Logan said firmly.

K frowned and gathered the uniform up, taking only what time she needed to realize what he'd thrown at her. "No, I don't." She balled up the fabric and threw it right back at him, almost rebounding it off of his head.

"Yes, you do. You've been actin' off since we got back from Russia. Time to get back on the horse, woman," he growled out, then threw it back to her again with a little more force. "Now get your ass dressed or I'll drag you up there in your jeans."

"I don't  _want_  to train," K argued, throwing the uniform to the floor this time. "You don't  _need me_  to do that shit. Hell, you never even  _wanted_ me to do that. You only trained me so I could fight Creed."

"Bein' able to fight Creed ain't enough. I should have pushed it sooner. I got a helluva lot more nasty monsters out there wantin' to do the downtown stomp on me than I can count. Gettin' you prepped to take on  _one_ of em' ain't gonna cut it. You need to be ready for all of 'em, cuz any one of those jackasses'd be more'n happy to tear you up for kicks."

And while the two ferals went back and forth, Kitty and Jean were watching the discussion like a tennis match. K looked away from Logan for a moment to the little ones. The twins were currently sleeping with Rachel in the middle of them and Abbey was curled up with Michael until she rushed to her father, still madly in love with the stripes on his uniform. He picked her up smoothly and Abbey took the time to choose that particular moment to put her hands on either side of his face to tell him to hold still as she leaned forward to carefully give him a kiss. Abbey then threw herself forward, her arms across his shoulders, patting him as she gave him her version of a hug, humming to herself as she did so.

Making her parents kiss was  _still_ something she liked to do almost every chance she got, though she'd gotten more aggressive with them in her quest to see more snuggles - often going so far as slapping either of them if they didn't kiss quickly enough. But this was one of those times that Abbey could see was  _not_ the time to even try it.

"Go on. I'm waitin'," Logan growled, his chin tipped up as Abbey continued to cuddle him. K glared at him for a moment, huffed, and then stomped into their bedroom, dragging the uniform behind her as she swore in Swedish only to reappear what felt to be far too quickly.

She stalked right past him and paused at the front door. "Well, come on," K said, arms crossed over her chest. "You want me to throw down - let's throw down."

"That isn't what I said."

"Then it's too damn bad that's what's gonna happen anyhow," K shot back.

Logan gave her a dry look and kissed Abbey as Jean slipped over and picked her up out of his arms. "We'll be here, no need to ask." Of course, that got  _her_ an even drier look, though he could see by the fact that K had already slipped out of the house that now was  _not_ the time to try and hit the finer points with either of them.

When the couple got up to the danger room, Logan went in with her to coach and Scott took up the controls on the board at Logan's request. And true to form, Scott and Logan started her rough, diving right into the heart of her issues as he set Daken loose on her. Logan honestly didn't expect her to do well, but she  _did_. Her anger drove her as she fought him, only leaving the Scott and Logan more at a loss at the level of pure ferocity she was showing - right alongside her obvious reluctance. It seemed that her speed was increased from the last time Scott had run her through her paces. She was just as quick as she was  _before_ she'd gotten her adamantium, easily matching Daken for speed, but her strength wasn't where it was before.

And after she'd fought him for the third time, and she didn't take a kill shot - Scott was a little bit confused. Particularly since Logan had made the impression that a kill shot might be the only thing to handle Daken. "Why isn't she putting him down?" Scott asked Logan as he entered the booth, finally having left her to work when she'd snarled at him to get lost. Even if she was mad at him, Logan was still pleased with K's progress.

"She doesn't wanna kill my son," Logan said, having heard her intentions to put him down but not out. But that wasn't what he was trying to get her to do. He was  _trying_ to get her to push. So when Scott smirked - obviously pleased by this particular turn of events, Logan leaned forward to hit the button on the intercom. "Darlin', you may have to get more aggressive with him down the line."

She already had Daken laid out unconscious in a heap a few feet away from her, and her hackles were clearly still up. "No," K growled out, leaving no room for discussion on the matter. "Who's next?"

The words barely left her lips when Daken's form was replaced with a screaming Lady Deathstrike. Her approach to K was an entirely different world to Daken's and K easily avoided her, dancing right through her outstretched fingers, cutting off bits of the cyborg monster as she went past her again and again. Sure, she would take a hit now and again as they tangled, but before long, Deathstrike was in a state of disrepair. Before K could turn to question Logan and Scott, Daken appeared with Viper, and a warning from Scott that although it was a simulation, the poisons that Viper carried were close duplicates.

K dodged the darts, but found herself at the business end of Daken's claws. As soon as she was stationary, Viper had her by the neck with her bullwhip before the simulation was ended.

Logan had been the one to call it a day as K caught her breath. The two X-Men gave her a little space and plotted out what to do next - which sims they wanted to push her through … and after that, every day they pushed her into more training. And every day, she dragged her feet only to prove herself in spectacular fashion. She was getting some confidence back as she battled some of the worst bad guys the two of them could think of. Logan was downright impressed at her work, though Cyber was a particular nasty case that she had trouble with. And not just in the Danger Room. After that sim, she began having nightmares - most of them starring Cyber in some form or another, but she refused to talk to Charles about it yet. "You wanted me to train? I'm training," she said.

"You're gonna have to deal with it if Cyber's an issue," Logan said, though he didn't quite get any further than that before she'd nearly tackled him - one hand over his mouth.

"You don't get to dictate to me, love. You wanted me to train - I'm training. You want me to deal with Cyber issues, then I stop. Training."

"Kinda counter productive, don'tcha think?" Logan asked with a frown.

"Shut up," she replied with a little sneer. "Unless you have your own list of crap you're talking to someone about?"

"Got it. No throwin' stones."

"You're damn right," K said, backing off just enough for him to smirk up at her and then slide closer to steal a kiss.

And though there was some severe resistance from K to even consider talking about Cyber - he wasn't the only one that proved to be problematic. Omega Red was another one that took her off guard. He simply wasn't like anything she'd ever seen before - and if she was being honest, the thick Russian accent struck a chord she didn't like admitting freaked her out a little.

K was starting to get into their whole torture routine … until Scott sent a sim of Logan after her.

It absolutely wasn't something she wanted to deal with - nor did she expect it when the simulated Wolverine came at her in a full rage-filled snarl. She avoided him, not wanting to fight her husband as the simulation slashed at her ruthlessly. She had little hope of avoiding him forever, and she flat refused to harm him.

"Gotta do it, K. Take him down," Scott urged. "I know you've had to fight him before. For your speed you should be able to stop him." K glared at the booth just long enough for the simulation to slash her across the face, splitting her cheek wide open and missing her eye by millimeters, her metal coated cheek bone shining up through the blood before it stitched itself closed.

But Scott found himself more than a little bit stunned when K finally took his advice and went on the offense in a  _big_ way. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, and all at once, Scott  _saw_ what it was that the department had taught her as she slipped into something not  _quite_ to Logan's berserk attack - though her ferocity forced the simulated Wolverine backward as they battled.

Logan himself hadn't been in the booth when that sim had started up. Jean had asked him to step out and give Abbey a kiss after she'd fallen and scraped her knee … so he'd missed what it was that Scott had set up for the 'big' fight. In fact, he'd been thinking about what their next sim was going to be. He had  _thought_ that K was on to fighting Daken when he stepped into the booth, seeing as that was what he and Scott had agreed to earlier. But her snarls didn't match up to anything she'd done against Daken, and frankly, as soon as he heard it, he knew something was wrong.

"Logan," Scott said as he rose slowly for a better view. "We have a problem." Distractedly, Logan looked over into the room, surprised thoroughly by his little wife, who looked to be a swipe or two from taking the simulation down. The simulated Wolverine was fighting her as viciously as if she were one of his worst enemies, and for a moment Logan froze. It was clear that the files were right - she was perfectly prepared to kill him if she'd set her mind to it - but that … clearly wasn't something she wanted to do if the fact that her tears were clearly visible from the booth as she fought.

And neither Logan or Scott could do anything but watch.


	14. Drawing Lines

"What the hell, Summers? You can't have her fightin' me," Logan snarled out as he reached in front of Scott to hit he kill switch. "You have  _any idea_  what kinda screw job you're doin' to her?"

But, it was over before Logan could feed the code in to end it when the hard light Wolverine lost its head and bounced away. When the sim cleared K had her hands in fists and her eyes shut tightly as she shook, trying to breathe, but a little too emotionally compromised to manage it without drawing in gasping breaths.

"You're the one that always says to prepare for every scenario," Scott pointed out. "That's all I was trying to do." It was honestly a reasonable defense … but …

"And when the  _hell_ have I put anyone in that position without warnin' em first?" Logan shouted back at him.

The two of them were already on their way to check on her by that point - especially when K didn't respond to either of them trying to hail her over the comms.

Scott knew she was upset with him, but had underestimated how she might react until he walked into the room and she refused to get anywhere near him, instead pointing one shaking finger at him after she oh-so clearly held back from hitting him. "Don't you  _dare_  do that to me again," K hissed out low before she held up both hands at shoulder level, skirted away from him  _and_ Logan then darted out, leaving both Scott and Logan in the Danger Room without her.

It was clear to anyone but Logan that Scott knew he'd crossed the line. And if it had been anyone  _but_ K, Logan might even have agreed with him on the premise that Scott had to know that she'd be able to stop Logan if necessary.

Scott turned meaning to go after her only to have Logan step in the way, blocking the path. "What the  _hell_ are you tryin' ta do?" Logan snarled. "You shouldn't have done that to her. You  _know_  how bad she's had it lately. You  _tryin'_ to drive her nuts makin' her fight me? Or are ya just tryin' to push her outta here?"

Scott's jaw locked down and he squared up without even thinking about it. "You  _know_ that's not the case, Logan. I – she needs to be able to stop you if you lose it. It wouldn't be the first time you'd turned on your team – or  _her._ " It was clear he'd gone into it trying to explain himself, but the aggressiveness only earned more aggressiveness - and a moment later, before Scott could react, Logan took a swing at him that broke Scott's nose and knocked him off his feet before Logan turned to go after K.

Unfortunately, Scott didn't think he'd done anything wrong enough to warrant physical violence, and Logan's punch was enough to have Scott reacting before he could even start to censor himself. Before Logan turned the corner to leave the Danger Room, Scott blasted him from where he was on the ground, knocking Logan into the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. Logan hit mid way up the wall, and slid down it in a heap. For a moment, both men were on the ground trying to pull their heads together, both of them hurting, both of them not up to what had become their usual selves.

Of course, Scott realized how badly things had slid even before Logan started to get to his feet, and he quickly caught up, sure that Logan was more angry  _now_ than before he'd taken a hit. He put a hand up in front of himself trying to emphasize the fact that he knew it had gone too far, and to try and slow Logan down, but the switch had already been flipped and Logan was more than willing to kick off their long overdue brouhaha. Scott knew he couldn't keep up with him if he went bare knuckle, even if Logan didn't totally lose it and pop a claw or three. A few solid hits from his adamantium weighted fists would have him in the medical bay, while landing a solid hit on Logan would likely result in a broken hand.

Scott dodged out of Logan's path by the skin of his teeth – with Logan's fist barely grazing Scott's chin as he twisted away. When Logan spun back to face him, Scott blasted him into the wall again. Logan roared in frustration as he popped his claws, trying to find something to give him some purchase as Scott shouted out to him to calm down. "We don't need to fight, Logan," Scott shouted. "You have to stop!" But the moment that Scott let up, Logan came at him again, completely enraged. Scott braced himself ready to blast him again when suddenly neither of them could move. Logan had been frozen in mid air, his claws inches from Scott's face, and Scott had his hand on his visor, ready to blast him back.

"What is  _wrong_ with you two?!" Jean shouted at them both, clearly frustrated with their relapse. "I thought you'd gotten over this  _stupidity_! What is it now?" Of course, before either could answer, she'd already peeked into Scott's mind to see his side first. And when she did, all she could do was try and refrain from yelling at both of them.  _Don't you think it was a little early for that, Mr. Summers?_

 _I wasn't thinking about it from that angle, Mrs. Summers. She was decimating everything I threw at her. I_ thought  _she'd be alright,_ Scott projected back to her.

 _He's right though,_ Jean countered.  _You usually ask first. That …_

_I know. It would've probably stopped all this if I'd done that. It was a mistake, okay? I get to make them sometimes too._

Jean let out a hum and she turned toward Logan holding a finger in his direction since he too, had let his temper and emotions run over any of his usual sense. "Logan – go find your wife. She probably needs to see  _you_  right now. I'll have a word with my husband." She gently floated him backwards a good stretch before she allowed his feet to touch the ground, though she remained ready to stop him quickly should he continue his rush for Scott. And she thought she'd need to for a moment when he continued running when she released him. "Logan -" Jean warned, but before he could answer her,he ran straight past her out the door, retracting his claws as he passed by.

"Sorry, Jeannie. Lost my temper," Logan growled as he ran by, knowing she'd be looking for something from him - but he had more important things on his mind. Just by K's scent trail, he could scent out how upset she was. It was obvious she was trying to distance herself from Scott, but after he'd followed the trail for a while, it became a lot harder to find.

He had started to worry after he'd lost the trail entirely … she was hard to track, and her trail disappeared entirely from time to time forcing him to stop and circle out from where it ended until he found her scent again. Logan found himself standing in the middle of the woods just staring around himself. It was a solid thirty feet between where the trail went cold and where it picked up again. And he knew she couldn't be jumping that far.

Though he could catch a touch of her scent on the breeze, her missing scent trail for such long stretches had him concerned. He couldn't figure out how the hell she was doing it. But with no clues, all he could do was keep busting his ass trying to track her down.

Then, far ahead of him, deep in the forest, he saw a flash of movement. Looking toward it he watched as K arced through the air and disappeared into the brush. "The hell …" For a long moment, Logan stared where he'd seen her - and then instead of trying to follow her trail, he ran to the spot she'd disappeared, ready to pick up her trail there, but once again he found himself having to circle out until he found where she'd been, looking up now as he tracked down the scent, and totally ignoring the footprints and broken branches this time.

And then, in spite of himself and all the frustration he'd had trying to find her, when he saw her again, he couldn't help but grin. "Oh yeah, you'd be a real pain in the ass to track if you flat didn't want to be found," Logan said to himself as he took a few paces closer so he could watch the whole process. One moment, K was running like they always did, then she'd put on a sudden burst of speed with a determined frown on her features before she jumped toward a low hanging branch. She took a hold of the branch with both hands and used her momentum to launch herself in a high arc, only to land a solid thirty feet from where her feet had left the ground, thus - breaking up her scent trail neatly.

"K!" Logan shouted, and K stumbled almost enough to lose her balance entirely before she turned to look at him. She turned toward him, her shoulders dropping as the two of them walked toward each other with K working hard to catch her breath. "You alright, darlin'?" Logan asked in a soft rumble as he took her hands in his. K nodded, looking down between them as she let out a tired sigh, still working to catch up. "He wasn't supposed to do that. It was supposed to be Daken. I still don't know what the hell he was tryin' ta pull. I'm sorry that went down like it did." He pulled her closer to wrap his arms around her and hold onto her. "But if it makes you feel better, I cracked him one."

But K shook her head and curled in before she stole a long kiss. "He had his reasons, I'm sure. They were dick reasons, but he had his reasons." He held onto her just tighter, feeling a little guilty now that she'd seemed to calm down a bit. "I think I'm alright to just yell at him now without kicking his ass," K told him.

And Logan, for his part, didn't mention her little branch swinging trick, instead wondering to himself how far she could go. When they got up to the mansion, Scott was nursing his busted nose with an ice pack after Hank had bandaged him up. His two black eyes bloomed full fantastic color well beyond his visor.

K wrinkled her nose as she took in his appearance. "The hell?"

"Your husband didn't like the sim either. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that with no warning," Scott said with a mumble. "I really didn't think you'd react that badly."

"Well, since my beloved has already worked you over, that's one thing I don't have to do." K took a moment to watch him and though he was hurting … K couldn't help but narrow her eyes when she saw a teaching moment. "Hey … quick question, Scott … has anyone ever set you against Jean and told you to kill her?" K asked bluntly with absolutely no warm up.

"No," Scott replied, with Jean shooting him a dirty look as she crossed her arms. "That's already been a proven 'fail' for me, every time." He tried to give Jean a sheepish look, but she wasn't thrilled with his commentary.

"Then … do you do that to everyone here? Make them fight the person they love?" K asked, her expression clearly one of confusion, since … up until now, she'd never even heard of it. "Or is it just because you know that's what I was trained for?"

"No, but Logan -" Scott looked thunderstruck - that… wasn't where he was going with it at all.

"Logan isn't going to hurt me. Just like Jean wouldn't hurt  _you_ , or vice versa.  _No_ one here would intentionally go after their better half without someone  _forcing_  them to do it, so why, Scott? Do you distrust him that much or are you just …  _what_? Because, I have to tell you, I was defending you until just now," K told him, and to Scott's surprise, her voice was shaking ever so slightly at the end of her statement.

Jean's expression softened as she couldn't help but watch as K did her best to keep her anger up.  _Scott … this was such a big breach of trust._

 _I can see that,_ Scott projected back as he tried to repair it. "I just didn't want you unprepared if he  _was_ forced to come at you." Scott said quietly. "I don't want to see you hurt-"

But that was just enough to have any emotional response tossed in the wind - and none of them were prepared for the switch. "Well hot damn, Einstein – he cuts me, I'll cut him back. Come on, Scott," K shot back, sounding both worn and tired. "Have you made him fight a me in a sim?"

For a long moment, Scott simply stared at her. "No. Of course not."

"Why not? Are you under some delusion that I'm nothing but flowers and sweetneness? Ask Kitty how innocent and sweet I am. Ask her about the roadblock. Hell,  _you_ saw me fight with Creed – you think that's a special talent just for him? You're smarter than that," K said, sounding down. Logan slid his hand across her lower back then pulled her closer to him as she got it all off her chest. K looked up at Logan over her shoulder before the two of them wordlessly decided to leave, leaving Scott in the lurch and feeling like garbage.

* * *

Kitty looked anxious when the two ferals returned to the boathouse finally. K was a mess with blood down the side of her uniform that was slashed in places. There were leaves in her hair and dirt on her face. Logan's uniform was missing large sections from when Scott blasted him.

"Is everyone alright?" Kitty asked as K leaned on Logan for balance and she removed her boots.

"Yeah. Peachy keen," K sighed.

Kitty turned to watch Logan, who nodded before she picked up Michael. "Okay, well … I'll see you at dinner then, okay?" Kitty tok a moment at the door to just watch the two of them before she slipped out and headed up leaving K and Logan with their little ones, slightly separated from the rest of the group.

K peeked into the kids' room to find that they were napping soundly. She stood there for a long moment watching them sleep, her arms automatically wrapping around herself a bit tighter. She  _hated_ his little twist in training, and she'd already decided on the spot that if this was what was required to be on the team - to  _help people_  - then she didn't want anything to do with it. After a long moment, she turned into Logan who she didn't realize was right behind her until just then. He didn't say a word, but instead began pushing her backward into their room, stealing little kisses before they headed in to wash up with no plans to leave the boathouse any time soon.

* * *

When Logan suggested they not go up to the mansion unless necessary, K let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and relaxed into him. Though she'd spoken her peace, she was more hurt at Scott's than she'd realized and she simply didn't want to look at him. Or really any of them. And that left Logan unsure if she needed  _more_ training time or less, but he  _was_ sure she needed a rest from it. They'd pushed too hard, too fast and blew his expectations out of the water by proving to him that she could handle any one of the worst that wanted a piece of his hide.

And it was probably due to that progress that no one questioned them for nearly a week. But eventually, that was bound to change. They just didn't expect for it to be Jubilee and the sisters, Chloe and Zoe, who came down to visit.

"Hey Jubes. Haven't seen you in a while," Logan drawled out easily, his arm around K as Jubilee and the girls let themselves in.

"Well, duh. You guys haven't been coming up in  _ages_. What's the story? Are you thinkin' of leaving me?  _Again_?" Jubilee asked, her arms crossed over her chest and one hip jutted out. Clearly, she was just waiting for the proof of it.

"Crossed my mind," Logan admitted.

But at that, the girls looked panicked. "You can't do that – we need you here!" Chloe blurted out.

"I didn't say for sure. I said it crossed my mind. Damn, jump to conclusions why don'tcha?" Logan grumbled. What he didn't want to tell them though was that the truth was, the more he was alone with K and the little ones, the more he relaxed. It was a simple way to live. Do what you have to and spend the rest of your time with the people that loved you most. And what none of them had seemed to realize is that it was just what Logan had wanted for years.

"Did you  _really_  go all grumpy old man on me?" Jubilee asked, eyebrows invading her hairline.

But Logan just glared at her. "Don't push your luck, Jubes."

"Will you  _puh-lease_  come up for dinner tonight?  _Please?"_ Jubilee asked - doing her best to sound as if she was simply  _dying_ without him around. Not that she was alone either. The sisters were next to her were mirroring her actions making them look like three lost little girls.

Logan let out a heavy, tired sigh as he turned to K, who smirked as she leaned up to kissed him very carefully. "Your call, love," K said K cherished the time when it was just the two of them, she knew that they couldn't really  _leave_. The kids had gotten attached to their extended family and if nothing else, she didn't want to take that away from them.

The two ferals had a moment where they seemed to simply stare at each other, a smirk on Logan's face as what looked like unspoken communication passed between them before he nodded curtly, once.

"We've got the twins," Chloe and Zoe offered - as they went into motion to pick up one each. Zoe was madly in love with little James and Chloe couldn't get enough of Rose, so it was a no brainer that they'd snatch up their favorite babies.

Which gave Abbey the increasingly rare opportunity to have her parents swing her between them, giggling all the way up to the house. As soon as they were through the door, Scott was there to greet them, looking almost sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. It wasn't for Logan though - no. that would be patently ridiculous.

"I'm glad you came up," Scott said with a wan smile. "I … " he glanced over at Jean and let out a breath. "... Jean and I … we … we came to an agreement." He couldn't help but smile as Abbey scurried off to find Charles.

"Yeah? How did she explain it?" K asked. It was clear that K was still a bit standoffish, even if Logan seemed to be reacting like this was simply par for the course.

Scott let out a sigh and his gaze dropped to the ground before Jean answered for him. "I told him to kill me in a simulation. Suddenly that training exercise isn't such a great idea, right, sweetheart?" Jean said, though she looked repentant even at the memory of it. "He's still having nightmares about it."

Scott looked sheepish as he met K's gaze again, even if it was hard for her to really see. "I really didn't think that through. And yes, that was a dick move," Scott said - which got Logan to smirk. "But … it's Logan's move, so …"

At that, K turned toward her husband. "Something you forgot to mention in the last week or so?"

"Wasn't gonna make you do it," Logan said. "So it wasn't somethin' that applied to you anyhow."

K rolled her eyes at him then took a quick step toward Scott. Scott broke into a grin and he picked her up in a hug as soon as she'd launched at him.

What Scott hadn't said was that Jean wasn't lying. He'd had vivid nightmares about having to kill Jean since she'd made him go into that sim, and he knew K and Logan didn't need any extra horrors added to their respective nightmare collections. "Won't happen again," Scott said quietly before he let her go. "We've missed you too much."

"Same," K agreed before Scott insisted on walking her to dinner with the group. With a smirk, Jean reached out for Logan to escort her, too.

"I should warn you though," Jean said before they hit the dining room. "Charles wants to do ome work with you, K. He saw the tape, and after reviewing it - he thinks its time to start digging into your past again."

"Oh, that's just …" K drifted off, though Scott finished it for her.

"Awful."

"Yes. That."


	15. Northwoods Respite

K dragged her feet for as long as humanly possible to avoid sitting down with Charles for a session to work on her memories. She tried to argue that it was for his good, too, since he was always worn out from their sessions, but that simple deflection had some consequences that she hadn't even  _considered_.

She was sitting down with a cup of coffee outside between classes when a familiar mohawked student dropped into the seat next to her with his chin tipped up far enough that his nose was in the air - the perfect body language to match Quentin Quire's bad attitude. To her amusement, he'd even come prepared with a cup of coffee of his own.

K tipped her head in greeting, but didn't say anything. Not when in all honesty, Quentin hadn't given her much trouble - outside of a very bold mistletoe kiss that had taken her completely by surprise. But that was when she was newer to the mansion. Now .. Quentin had graduated and had  _mostly_ outgrown his snobbish attitude since he'd joined the team and began working alongside the adult X-Men.

Of course, he'd been mostly shocked when those that he'd once had to answer to as teachers had made the (nearly) seamless transition to regarding him as an equal footing teammate. But even with that, moments like this where he would join one of the senior team members was rare.

"No psychic defense class today?" K asked after a moment.

"You're distracted and behind," Quentin replied. "It was last period."

"Lonely then?"

"Ready to trade up?"

"Not even a possibility. That would require finding someone better than my sweetheart," K said, leaning forward. "Who we all  _know_ is the best."

He was torn between looking disgusted and amused before he finally settled on amused. "Right. Anyhow. The professor asked me to have a word with you."

K raised her eyebrows, turning toward him entirely, one arm on the back of her chair as she pulled her feet up under her. She propped her head up with her raised arm and then simply  _waited._

"Not here," Quentin said. "He said if you didn't want to work with him because of his  _health concerns …_ " He paused then switched to projecting to her.  _Which you and I both know is a load of crap._ "Then you'll have to do the sessions with me providing the heavy lifting and Charles guiding."

K narrowed her eyes at that. "You volunteered, didn't you?"

Quentin couldn't stop the grin as he leaned toward her. "I am  _unbelievably_ curious. And I've been a good little boy for a long time following the whole 'no toying with people' or taking away people's perception without permission. I'm being criminally underutilized and working through something that Xavier has  _trouble with_ … admit it. You want to know what it's like to play with an omega level."

"I really don't."

"Wolverine could tell you about it. I can make it perfectly seamless. You won't even know we're doing it."

"If you tell me that we're in a session right now ... "

Quentin smiled broadly at that. "Come on. Let's start digging."

As K narrowed her eyes, the entire landscape around them shifted and she swore at him.

"Come on, you're impressed. I know you're impressed," Quentin said as he took control of the direction they were taking.

"What about letting Charles guide the way and not  _screwing_ with people?"

"Like he's never done this himself," Quentin said in a low undertone. "Come on. We were going to end up here to figure out what's going on anyhow. We're in your mindscape. Why wait on the old man?"

"Maybe because I don't know where he wanted to  _start_ ," K said, totally not surprised that Quentin would decide to take it into his own hands. He was right. He  _had_ been underused so far. "And I'm not convinced you won't just … scramble my brains."

His grin widened. "I  _could_ , but … I really don't want to." He gestured at the sweeping landscape around them that could only be near the Rocky Mountains. "How about we dive in? If you're that worried, I'll pull Xavier in right now."

"Isn't he in a class?"

Quentin scoffed. "Like he's not asleep in those classes himself." He grinned a little wider, and an instant later, Charles was standing there, looking confused for exactly as long as it took him to lock on to Quentin and advance, looking  _livid_. "Keep your pants on. You wanted to dig. She kept putting you off, but I know - and you know … and  _she_ knows that she is secretly entertained by me. So." Quentin turned to grin at K. "We need your history. As much of it as you can give, and you keep getting extremely distracted for  _months_ at a time and honestly, it's driving me crazy. Come on. Share."

Finally, K let out a breath just as Charles was stepping closer to tell Quentin exactly how much trouble he was in. "If you can find it … go ahead."

Quentin grinned and nodded to himself. "Then how about how you escaped Weapon X the  _second_ time?"

"I went over this with Jean and Scott," K said, frowning at him. 'Sort of."

"Ah, no," Quentin said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You accidentally shared a nightmare about Victor Creed trying to get in your pants with authorization from the higher ups and how you got out of the chopper, but … you didn't get around to telling them how you  _evaded_ Sabretooth with two broken legs." When K stared at him, Quentin shrugged. "Yes. I looked. I know what they saw, and though I could go digging, even I'll admit that kicking in doors around here could be problematic for  _you_ , so how about we work together on getting from there to how you got far enough away from them that they  _wiped_ Creed's memory of that part of your time with them?"

K looked between the two telepaths for a moment, clearly not in the mood to delve into something so old.

"It would help us to understand why he didn't drag you back to them sooner," Charles said. "And it should help you to put those traumas behind you."

"Yeah, blah, blah, blah, psycho babbl-y tag words of the day -  _whatever_ ," Quentin said. "I want to know how you outdid Wolverine in Sabretooth evasion."

K ran a hand over her face and finally nodded. "Okay. Fine. Just … the kids -"

"Are with Jean. All of them," Charles said.

With a sigh, K bit her lip as Quentin came closer, grinning obnoxiously. "Let's pick up where you left off, shall we?" he said, and a moment later, when he clapped his hand on her shoulder the entire view of her mindscape shifted.

* * *

The lake was ice cold and K had broken a leg when she hit the water, but she could keep her head above the surface and had little trouble swimming. Setting the leg in the water alone wasn't easy, but she got it done. She'd seen Creed fall from the chopper in the distance and knew she wouldn't have a lot of time before he was on her tail. He was a hunter after all, and people were what he hunted best. She only hoped that the big bad kitty had a thorn in his paw for a little while ... or you know, a shattered spine would be great too.

On hitting the shore, K began to run due east, only because she knew that the Weapon X facility was to the west – it helped that the wind was coming from the west too. It would be harder for Creed to track her if her scent wasn't blowing in his face driving him on. With any luck, the lake water would help to cover her scent, too.

She'd gone maybe eight miles at a near dead run before she had spotted a fast moving river flowing south east, but the waters looked dangerous. She could almost spot the rocks under the bubbling water. She took a moment to weigh her options - it also looked like the best bet to get further away from him. South would almost surely bring her closer to people, and that should mean more options to hide. She slid down the river bank and slipped in, trying to float her body and paddle with the current, keeping her head above water while the currents rushed her downstream. If she was lucky, she'd get a good distance between her and Creed. If she wasn't, he'd likely drown her out of spite.

K rode the quick current out until the river widened and calmed, then she swam to the eastern bank and started to move again, running as hard and fast as she could manage. She knew she needed miles between her and where she'd fallen – the more, the better. If Creed didn't recover her fast enough, they'd mobilize and that meant choppers and lots of ground units. She knew she didn't need all that noise.

K realized she'd made the right move when she heard a freeway nearby. Looking down at herself, she looked like a train wreck, but she did the best she could to try and pull herself together. She followed the road east and tried hitching, but no one was picking up someone dressed like her. She looked like a military kook or a deserter.

She heard the whine of an engine cranking down and looked over her shoulder, spotting what looked like a large black SUV. She paused for just a second before darting off the road and running like hell. No way was she going to let anyone in a plain black SUV get that close to her. The man that was driving shouted after her, but didn't follow her.

Cursing herself, K pushed harder to run. Going down the main road dressed like she was couldn't have been the smartest move on her part. She didn't see another crossroad or even a trail for what she guessed was another three miles when she started hearing choppers in the not too far distance. They were mobilized.

"How pissed off can Creed get when  _they_ realized he couldn't track me?" K wondered to herself before she pushed again. Her chest was burning with every breath. She'd been pushing so hard since she jumped … and she hadn't healed from the poison let alone the broken leg. She knew she wasn't going to be able to keep running for much longer. But she had no option. If she stopped, she'd be caught. End of story. And that meant Creed had either really hurt himself or he'd admitted he'd lost the trail. There was no other explanation. She wasn't gone long enough to warrant the mobilization otherwise. She wondered vaguely if Burr was on her tail now too.

That seemed the most likely thing if Ferro had been attended to. If one tracker was good, two was better.

She heard a noise to her right and froze, paranoid as she scanned the forest around her. Seeing nothing she cautiously turned her back to the noise, hoping to bait whatever it was out if it was a predator – or worse. It was a minute or two before she heard the noise again and she turned to spot a rabbit. As soon as her shoulders slumped, she heard the hammer of a rifle cocking back.

"Don't move now, lady. I don't want to shoot you," a totally unfamiliar voice rang out. "If you know what's good for you, you'll put your hands on your head and don't move."

K thought it over and slowly complied, not wanting to spook this guy, all the while running scenarios in her head on how long it would take her to kill this joker and how many rounds he'd squeeze off before she stabbed him in the heart. He was ten yards from her when his voice changed.

"What the hell're you runnin' from, honey? You ain't even got no damn shoes on. Come on. Put your hands down. I think it's pretty clear somebody ain't treated you right," the man said after he slung the rifle and knelt down to look at her feet, shaking his head.

Aside from leaving himself wide open, there was something about him she just couldn't help but trust a little. She let out a weary sigh of relief. She might actually have done it.

"You don't have any weapons, do you?" he asked. She thought about it a moment and felt her leg where the thigh holster was –

"No. No weapons," K said with a sigh.

He nodded his head, clearly thinking it through. "Alright, come on then. I'll help ya," he said with a kind smile, offering her his hand.

The man was huge. Nearly as tall and broad as Creed, but clearly of a much better disposition. He led the way as they trekked out to his truck, nearly a half mile from where they were as he told her of all the activity.

"Buncha black helicopters been circlin' about five miles north of here for the last hour. Don't know what they're lookin' for, but boy, are they ever lookin'." When K sat down, she all but melted into the bench seat in the truck. It felt so good to just sit for a moment. Her whole body was buzzing from all she'd done. But more than that - she'd gotten a little further away from Weapon X. She strained her ears until she couldn't hear anything like a chopper. She'd made it out of their search zone.

"So … pretty girl in the woods in military fatigues. Don't see that every day." She shook her head once. "You wanna tell me what you were running from? Some kinda trouble, I'm sure." She nodded. "Well, I ain't gonna hurt ya. You can relax. I'll take ya where you'll be safe. I know a place, but it's an hour's drive to the south."

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Yes, further south. Please."

"You just take it easy, I'll let you know if we come across any trouble," the man said, and though K wanted to know more about him - who he was and what he was being so nice to her for, she was exhausted. Without meaning to, and with nothing to occupy her thoughts, the buzzing sensation across her whole body grew in intensity the more she sat still, and before long, she'd nodded off.

* * *

When K opened her eyes, it was with a start. She was in a parking lot full of all sorts of vehicles - all of which were bearing the SHIELD insignia. " _No,_ " she whispered, jerking back toward the door of the truck when the man that had given her a ride spoke again.

"Just calm down. Be happy I found ya before the other guys did. Their orders were to kill if they couldn't catch ya," he told her,using that same calm tone that he had before. "Come on now, there's someone you need to talk to – you  _are_ the one that Weapon X is lookin' for, right? There's not another tiny brunette runnin' around barefoot in fatigues is there?"

K was frozen to the spot, half terrified. She'd jumped out a  _helicopter_ to escape Weapon X only to get picked up be SHIELD on the first day. Before she could figure out what to do, the door behind her opened and she nearly fell out of the truck. There was a line of agents all around the truck, weapons raised.

"They put up a show, but they're more scared'a you then you are'a them. It ain't every day a Weapon X operative shows up without orders to kill 'em."

"I'm not an  _operative_ –- and who said I don't have orders to kill them?" K asked, earning a much more serious look from her rescuer.

"You were runnin' from their trackers and somehow made it out of the initial search zone a helluva lot faster than they anticipated. You were thirty miles down stream of the southern boundary before they finished the initial radial search. They had just expanded their search zone when I found ya," he told her. "I'll bet you don't even know where you are." He paused before he continued, breaking the ice by offering her his hand. The name's Heikkinen. Bill Heikkinen."

"I'm K."

He smiled again at her. "Well, K, you sure got those Weapon X boys in a proper uproar. You'd think they just lost the gold goose the way Burr's screaming through that radio at everyone," he told her with a twinkle in his eye. "I got someone that wants to meet ya."

"As long as I don't end up back by Burr, I guess I can hear you out, Bill," K replied, looking tired still.

Bill chuckled and the agent holding her door open stepped out of the way as she exited the truck. She walked next to the tall Finlander all the way up to the large nondescript building that seemed to have no doors – just mirrored windows all around it. The look of the place made her pause, and Bill turned to look at her, waiting. "You alright?"

K looked around at the swarm of agents around her …. Just over thirty of them. All of them she looked them over, she was already plotting her strategy on how to kill them.

"Honey – come on. No one here's gonna hurt ya." Bill's familiar phrasing eased her mind for some reason and she haltingly started to stalk forward again, hugging herself as she looked at the men around her. Two hallways and an elevator ride later, Bill led her into a large bright office with a single, cheerful agent inside.

"Hello," the smiling agent said as he looked down at her.

 _Another one that seems to exude calm vibes_ , K thought to herself.

"Please, have a seat," he directed.

K looked around the room. Bill had taken position leaning on a desk, his arms and ankles crossed as he nodded for her to go ahead and relax a little. Cautiously, she pulled a chair out and sat down, her movements very much like a wary animal.

"I'm Agent Coulson. Director Fury wanted me to make sure that we got you as far away from Weapon X as humanly possible. Or the orders were framed to say that should you or anyone else ever break out and make it far enough that we could get to you, we were to make recovery from them impossible. Having said that, I suppose congratulations are in order. You're the first in a  _very long time_  to get away from that organization." He wore a little half smile and he appeared very casual to K's tense stance. "Do you have any tracking devices?"

K almost answered 'no' as a knee-jerk response, but thought better of it. "I don't know. Usually when someone broke out, Creed would hunt them down," K replied.

Coulson's eyebrows rose. "I wasn't aware that Victor Creed was still under their employ. Do you know why he didn't hunt you down as well?"

"He  _did_ ," K replied. "He just didn't catch me yet."

Coulson looked surprised, and his gaze flicked over to another agent near the door. "And he's not going to," Coulson replied. "I won't lie to you – that's a pretty impressive feat. Mr. Creed is not someone that has a reputation for letting one slip by. We'd like to offer you an option out, but HI should tell you - although Director Fury is hesitant to bring operatives from the Weapon X project into SHIELD's ranks, that doesn't mean we want to see you carrying out their missions."

"I'm not an operative," K corrected. She felt the need for him to understand … she wasn't just a spy.

Coulson paused, looking at her harder. "If you're trying to tell me that you're a weapon, then I have to warn you. They won't give up on finding you any time soon. A good friend of Fury's was the original Weapon X, and they  _still_ hunt him. Chatter says you're an improved version – if you're the one they've been calling 'K'."

"Chatter's wrong."

"What is your name?"

K paused before she answered with a little shake to her voice. "K."

At the admission, both Coulson and Bill froze, but as Coulson stared at her, it was clear that he made a decision and he nodded to himself just before softening his features. "I'd like to put you in a kind of a weapon relocation program then, as it were," he explained as he sat down across from her. "We have a handful of trusted agents that could take you and set you up with a place to live. You'll have to keep your head down while we monitor for trouble. It's pretty simple. As long as you keep out of trouble, and our agents keep regular contact with you, you should be safe."

"Sounds like probation," K replied dryly.

Coulson's smirk grew into a crooked smile. "That's one way to look at it, only if you break  _probation_ , the courts don't want to turn you into a mindless killing machine and keep you in a cell," Coulson said. "This is a little more intensive than that."

With that, Coulson led her to a transport to take her off site. Apparently, even though they were out of range, Coulson had his doubts on how secure their facilities were against a feral tracker and Silas Burr. Shocking not only K, but Bill too, Coulson was concerned enough to break protocol to bring her to the helicarrier.

"No Weapon X operative has been on the helicarrier without being de-programmed first. I'm hoping this isn't an elaborate ruse to assassinate Fury," Coulson said, watching her reaction carefully.

"My orders were always to avoid Fury like the plague - and never to engage an Avenger," K told him almost mechanically.

"I'm sure Agent Romanoff will be happy to hear you never planned to fight her the night you killed that geneticist," Coulson said with a smirk.

After following him through a maze of hallways and scanners, they spent the next few hours discussing what talents she had and where she was originally from. She tried to remember more about Weapon X for him – but it was clear very quickly that she was drawing blanks.

"K," Coulson said in a reassuring tone. "Relax. Erasing memories is one of the things that they're really good at in that organization. You probably will never be able to get back what they took away."

"Too bad you can't get erase them for me."

"Actually, if you want us to, we can do that. Your agent will need to have a partial modification, too. They'll know what they need to help you, and how to get us if an emergency arises, but for their own protection, they will not remember you were a Weapon X operative," Coulson said calmly.

"And if I let you mod my memory – what's to stop you from doing the same thing they were and just using me?"

"You don't have many choices right now," Coulson said. "You'll just have to trust us. All of our operatives are working for us of their own free will."

"Who would my agent be?" she asked, not wanting to deal with someone which she had no report.

"That would be me, honey," Bill said with a small smile. "I was getting' ready to retire anyhow, and the old family farm needed someone to run it, so I guess we can go there. It's not too far from where you're originally from anyhow."

She looked between the two men, her gaze on the floor.

"It's entirely up to you, K, but I would strongly recommend this course of action," Coulson said frankly.

It didn't take long for her to think it over. "I wouldn't have to answer to anyone – or go on a bunch of missions?" she asked, looking impressed when Coulson shook his head no. "Alright then," she said nodding. "I'll go along with your plan."

* * *

K blinked and slowly looked around herself realizing that her coffee was cold and the professor was sitting next to her, obviously waiting for her to come out of her daze.

"Quentin does wonderful work when he's properly motivated," Charles said, and for a long moment, K only nodded in agreement.

"We'll likely need to continue this work," he continued. "Mr. Quire kicked into that hidden memory much easier than even I had anticipated."

"Yeah," K said almost numbly. "He must have seen the imprint of the modification."

"Memory alterations are much better hidden when they're voluntary," Charles said, but yes. I'm sure he was salivating to get into that one."

"He was disappointed in how I slipped him," K said, turning to Charles. "Quentin, I mean."

"Yes, I think he was looking for something with more explosions."

"No. Just a lot of water."

Charles smiled and reached over to pat her hand. "Get some rest, my dear. You've earned a decent break."

* * *

When K got inside the boathouse, Logan was there with the little ones, stunned how dazed she looked as she went right into their bedroom and started packing. He made his way over and leaned in the doorway, watching to see what she was doing. He stepped out of her way gingerly as she took a bag into the kids' room and started making noise in there, packing up some of their things and hauling both bags out to his Jeep. When she got back inside, he finally stopped her. "Sweetheart, what're you up to?"

"We're leaving. At least a week, I was thinking the cottage, but if you'd rather - "

"No, that sounds great. Been a while," Logan said, interrupting her. "I'll tell Charlie."

K nodded, staring at the ground as she took a breath. She didn't expect him to go along with it so easily, but after seeing where she'd  _really_ met Bill, she had the urge to go back to her hideaway in the north woods. Just to see if it kicked any other memories loose.

* * *

It was dark out when the Howlett family got to the cottage, and the spring weather had the two track practically to mud bogging levels. The little ones were laughing so hard at the flying mud outside that K had tears going down her face as she laughed with them. Even Logan couldn't ignore it when they laughed like that. The trail was rough, and when they got to the cottage, there were downed branches blocking their path to the front door.

"Looks like Bill finally listened to ya and quit tending it all winter," Logan said as she parked the Jeep.

"Yeah. I asked him to stick to his family and forget about the cottage. Told him I'd handle it from here on out," she replied, shocking him.

Logan didn't  _know_ K had told him to back off. And after even just one winter, it showed how much Bill had been doing around the place. He must have spent hours puttering around there when she was gone.

They got the kids inside and K checked the place over for any problems other than the railing on the front porch that a porcupine had decided to gnaw on. She was pleased at finding no broken windows or leaks, no sign of anyone tampering with the old place, and the water wheel squeaking happily as it turned.

The kids were worn out and hungry, and K quickly pulled together something for them to eat while Logan set up their place to sleep and started a fire. It was a little too cold in there for his liking where the little ones were concerned. By the time the family had finished eating, the little ones were falling asleep. Logan put them to bed before turning his attention to K and dragging her to their bed, perfectly happy to get started on their own little cabin tradition.

* * *

When K woke up the next morning, she could hear Logan in the kitchen and the little ones giggling as they played. She pulled the flannel sheets up across her shoulders, searching for something to slip on. Her clothes from the day before were shredded and she knew she only had a change or two in her old dresser if she was lucky. She slipped out of bed, the sheet wrapped around her as she looked in the dresser.

 _Damnit_. K blew the hair out of her face when she saw the damage. The house had been in good shape, but mice had gotten into the dresser and made a nest of her shirts. The jeans were still good, but there was no undergarments in the place anymore. She decided to go for the bags that were in the living room, so she slipped on his discarded flannel shirt, checking the mirror to be sure that it covered her backside properly before going to retrieve her own clothes.

"What are you doin' up?" Logan said with a frown. "Maybe I'm not done with you. Get back in bed."

"What about the kids?" K asked as he took the bag with their clothes in it from her.

"I didn't say it was sex, I just said I wasn't done yet. Go. Get to bed, woman." He pushed her back towards the room with his hand at the small of her back. She looked over her shoulder at him, but did as he asked, leaving his shirt on as she climbed into bed, sinking into his pillow and pulling the blanket up around her. She had to admit it felt good to be in her own bed finally. His scent in her house was comforting beyond anything she could pick out singularly on her own.

She happily began to drift off when he came in with breakfast for her. She smiled sleepily as he set it up, kissing her as he handed her some coffee. "Seems to me you're long overdue for gettin' spoiled," Logan explained. "So rest up, and when you're really ready to face the day, I'm gonna go fire up that chainsaw an' clean up a bit around here."

K hadn't known what to expect when they got up there, but whatever she expected, it sure wasn't this. Within the hour, she'd leisurely gotten out of bed and dressed, finding that not only had he taken care of feeding the little ones, but he'd cleaned up too. Abbey was at the window watching the water fall off the wheel, mesmerized. When K stepped out, Logan pulled her into a kiss before putting on his hat and getting to work outside.

The truth was that Logan liked it there. It was quiet, peaceful, and picturesque. And springtime in the woods was absolutely one of the best scents he could think of. Logan made short work of the tree limb that had blocked their path, going so far as to split and stack it at the wood pile before making his way around the place, cleaning up more limbs that were ready to fall.

In fact, the only thing he didn't like about K's cottage was pulling up the mud soaked trail.  _Bill_.

 _Goddamnit,_  Logan thought to himself.

This was why he preferred  _his_ places. No one ever bothered him there. Of course, his place was a solid two days hike from an outpost designated only for the local Native American tribes. No chance of running into someone or having them pester you out there. On the other hand, her place was about as far from civilization as you could get in this part of the country.

The big truck rolled to a stop as Logan set down the chainsaw in the little garage K had near the house. The tall Finn stepped out trying to look friendly. "Glad to see you two still know where the place is. She around?" Bill asked.

"Yep, inside. I'll go with ya," Logan replied, still not trusting the man alone with his wife, particularly since it came out that Bill's wife, Clara, had tipped off her big brother on how to get to K. Even if it wasn't intentional, Logan knew where to place the blame.

K had heard the truck come in and had gone to her closet to pull out her old 1911, which she holstered on her hip, making sure the magazine was full and there was a round in the chamber. She quickly made a point of covering the gun with one of Logan's big flannel shirts. When it came to Clara and Bill, K's patience was paper thin even if her curiosity was piqued.

Though she  _hoped_ Clara hadn't been actively involved, she'd been instrumental in the most damaging abuse Creed had ever handed K and she sure as hell wasn't ready to forgive or forget.

When Logan walked in the door, he wrinkled his nose at the smell of gun oil when he gave his wife a kiss. He tried to determine where it was coming from, not sure of where it was until he ran his hand from her ribcage to her hip, smiling at her when he found her piece. At least she had a healthy distrust of the man now. Enough to put a gun on even when both she and her husband were more than armed to deal with the likes of him. To Logan, that meant she didn't want to give him the chance to get close enough to touch her or the kids.

"Hi, Bill," K said evenly, trying hard to be friendly, but unable to pull it off convincingly, particularly when Clara's scent was so plainly evident on him. It turned K's stomach – the scent of a Creed.

.

"If I'dve known you were comin' out I'dve cleared the path for ya," Bill said. He knew there was some kind of issue between his wife and his old friend, but he hoped it wasn't serious. Clara never seemed to have anything to say about what it was that had K going radio silent with him, and K hadn't been around in well over a year – pushing two since the women had spoken. But Bill's gaze fell on the twins who were currently sleeping in their crib together and in an instant, he was melting on the spot.

" _Holy wah_. You got  _twins_ – is that why you've been so scarce, K?" Bill said in awe watching the little ones snooze as the smile stretched across his features. Wary as both of them were, neither would say that his reaction wasn't genuine. "Oh, wouldja lookit that – he's your spittin' image, Logan. Man, you been keepin' her busy, eh?" he was smiling genuinely as he chuckled.

K felt a little bad for not reaching out as she watched her old friend grinning at the toddlers.

"Man alive, Clara would be jealous. She said she always wanted twins."

At the mention of her name, K hardened up again. There was no way  _Bill_ knew about what had happened. Hell, and she wasn't even sure Clara knew what her brother had done.

"What's on your mind, Bill?" Logan asked, picking up on the cue K had given.

At his prompting, Bill finally tore his gaze from the little ones to meet Logan's. "Well, I saw someone had come down the road, so I had to look into it, eh? I'm not down here as much anymore, but if I see somethin' off I'm gonna check it," Bill replied, the smile still in his eyes. "You guys gonna be here for a while?"

"Not sure for how long, but she needed to get away. Recharge," Logan replied, and for that much, K seemed oddly content to let Logan answer for her.

Bill nodded. "Well, why don't you come on over to the house tomorrow afternoon. We can have a chance to catch up, and hey – the little ones can play with our little one – he's a little older than those two."

Before K could come up with an excuse, Logan had accepted and the men made their arrangements. Once he was gone, K turned to Logan open mouthed. "What the hell? Why did you agree?"

"A couple reasons. First off, I don't think he knows anything about what went down," Logan said. "Second, I want to see what Clara's reaction is when she sees the twins – and how she reacts to the fact that they're  _mine_. I gotta know if she had anything to do with what Creed did."

K had to concede the first point, and was only mildly curious about the second. "Sweetheart, if you're gonna keep this place you gotta know – and I gotta admit- if it was my call I'd keep it just to be a pain in the ass," he said with an aggressive edge to his voice.

"Fine. We'll check it out, but keep a com on you, I'll keep the gun on me," K replied. "And the little ones stay close. I don't want any nasty surprises."


	16. Family Ties

K was relaxed, stretched out in the warm sand and soaking in the sunshine. She could hear the waves lapping against the shore and the scents blowing in off the sea made it clear that there would be a storm later. But for now, there was nothing left to do but  _maybe_ take off her too while the beach was empty.

She sat up and reached for her Hawaiian Tropic bottle laying within reach, smiling to herself more as the cheerful, rich scent of coconut cut through the salted air as she started to rub some on her arms.

She got a good bit of oil in her hands to start on her shoulders when her dream was rudely interrupted.

"You ran away from our sessions," Quentin said, suddenly appearing next to her, sitting on the sand with his legs stretched out in front of himself. He tipped his chin down to look at her over his sunglasses. "But. I guess a case can be made if you want help with oiling your back."

"You interrupted my dream?"

"Dream or memory?" Quentin replied. "This feels more like a memory to me. In which case … no ones around. Are you going to let something so awful as tan lines happen?"

"I don't tan anyhow, Quentin," K said, shaking her head. "So I don't have to worry about it."

"You never know…"

"I never went topless on this beach anyhow," K said. "So your argument is invalid."

"But you've done it at  _other_ beaches?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"She's not too ready to go topless on the beach either."

"Poor baby. " there was a beat of relative quiet before her tone shifted. "What do you want?"

"For as boring as it was when we left off, I … kinda want to see what exactly happens when you're assigned a secret SHIELD agent parole officer."

She sighed at that and nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

"But you're going to want to see sooner than when you get home,aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"No time like the present."

K frowned as she thought about it. "I didn't even go to bed until  _late_ ," she said, almost glaring at him. "What the hell are you doing thinking about me  _this late at night_?"

Quentin paused for a moment. "I'm not … subject to … I can  _dream_ about whoever I want."

"But you came into  _my_ dream."

"Just .." he sighed. "Just… show me."

K had hardly decided to do as much before Quentin pressed forward, metaphorically kicking in the door that held the continuation of what had happened  _after_ SHIELD removed large swaths of her memory.

* * *

"Nice farm," K said as Bill pulled up to the old farmhouse.

"Glad you like it. There's a little apartment over the barn. It's yours as long as you'd like," he told her with a little smile. "Take your time settlin' in, but we start busting colts on Monday."

"Sounds great," she replied with a grin. She couldn't remember exactly, but it felt as if it had been years since she'd even gotten to ride. He handed her the keys to the place, and she made her way there.

The little apartment was just big enough for her to do what she needed – sleep, eat and bathe in privacy. Nothing more. There was a window that faced into a birthing stall – unoccupied until the mares were ready to drop their foals. Then, it would be part of her job to watch them and help if they needed it.

It was the kind of work that she liked best. Working and training horses – beautiful Reining horses to boot.

She spent the whole of the afternoon clearing the dust out of the apartment with the windows wide open and the sun streaming in. By the time she was done, it no longer resembled a haggard little hole for a barn hand, but a cozy little hiding spot.

She felt no apprehension as she laid down to bed that night. She knew she was perfectly safe tucked away in the barn with the sounds of the horses in their stalls making it through the thin walls and soothing her.

By the time Monday came around, she was raring to go. She proved herself quickly to Bill, and unlike other trainers he'd had around the place, K never felt the need to yell at the animals – using body language to get her point across instead.

Bill's brother Graham made his way to the old farm to check on his brother not two months into his take over of the old farm and it took him no time at all to spot the little woman staying in the barn.

"Come on, Billy – you can't expect me to believe you got her on payroll to train. What's she doin' for ya, really? It ain't horse work," Graham laughed as they watched K haul the equipment out to the round pen. She was getting ready to work the little stud colt that Bill was banking on becoming a winner. K had already done miracles with the headstrong three year old.

"I'm tellin' ya – she's a trainer. I haven't made a pass at her yet, and I don't think you should either," Bill warned him. "She's not just a pretty face."

"Ain't her face I'm lookin' at," Graham said in a low chuckle, though Bill simply punched his brother in the arm  _hard_ without bothering himself to turn his head. The two men watched her from the porch of the house as the big stud tried to give her a hard time. But, true to form, she had him settled and riding smooth in a matter of minutes. She was working on side passes when the two men made their way down.

"Where'd you learn how to do that, honey?" Bill asked. It was easy to see she was using a very light hand.

"I don't know. Here and there, I guess," she replied, frowning a little as she tried to make the connection. She knew what to do and how to do it, but it came out as almost instinctive when she couldn't explain herself. Hours later, after all the chores were done, and everyone was fed well, K found herself sitting on the porch with the two men, drinking beer and watching the deer come out of the forest to the feeder Bill had set up to watch them.

"Bill," K said suddenly, "How long have I known you?"

He was quiet for a moment as he tried to decide how to respond. "You've known me for years," he told her – following the script that SHIELD had written up.

"Don't lie to me, Bill. Really, how long have we known each other?" she asked again. "It feels like it's been a while, but I can't remember much past when I came here." She watched him out the corner of her eye as he visibly looked a bit shaken.

"I've known you since before then, honey," He said, "At least two weeks longer." He was sure to make his tone as sarcastic as possible. To his surprise though, K cracked a smile at the comment. "I can't believe you got such a shitty memory. You must have really clocked yourself in that helicopter accident."

K wrinkled her brow again as she tried to make the connection. She knew there was something about a helicopter, but what that was ... "Yeah," she all but breathed out, staring off into the woods and Bill and Graham shared a look as she spaced out.

The first six months were rough. Occasionally, K would ask a simple question like that and Bill would come up with some answer that came close enough to the truth to feel close to right. In less than a year, she'd found the remains of an old lumber mill in the woods … the stone wall holding back the creek had long ago crumbled, and the building itself had fallen in around its rotted timbers.

Bill helped her secure the land, but she insisted on building it herself. A year beyond that, she finally moved in to her little cottage in the woods, celebrating with their friends by attaching the new waterwheel and drinking far too much.

The stud colt ended up being a prize winning reiner with Bill in the saddle, a feat he was always sure to credit her for, though she refused to have her picture taken. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel comfortable with anyone knowing who she was.

Life was good, and as the years moved forward, K began teaching local kids and older women to ride, training outside horses, and sending show horses to the ring for Bill. His horses were winning everything they went into - experienced riders or not, it didn't matter. His competition tried to woo her away, but she refused, happy with the little life she'd carved out for herself.

And then the accident happened.

Another barn owner that knew Bill well but never spoke directly to K, showed up and started watching her as she'd work in the afternoons. When the training day was over, K would regularly head up to the bar with Bill and the boys to grab a bite and a beer before calling it a day.

That particular day, the horse she was working was a little green and a lot skittish. No matter how hard she worked her, the little mare never settled down. She was just about to give up and tell Bill she thought she was a cold back when the other barn owner stepped out at the edge of the ring and startled the mare. K managed to ride it out, but chewed him out for spooking the horse, and stormed off, mare in hand. She was too angry to continue riding.

But the man followed her to the bar and quickly made a pest of himself, offering to buy her drinks.. asking what it would take to buy an hour of her time, then reneging on it and trying to make it sound as if he meant training time.

The guy was a sleaze, and she wanted to jam her claws into his groin.

The drunker he got, the more forward he got until the boys at the bar ended up throwing him out. Sadly, it went on like that for weeks, until finally K finally snapped and snarled at him, silencing the whole of the bar as she told him off. She should have known he wouldn't leave her alone.

K had been working on that same difficult mare not long after the bar incident and the sleaze was the only witness to watch in horror as the hot little mare went over backwards on K. He heard the sickening crunch as the horse rolled over her and broke her neck. He rushed to her side, half satisfied that she'd gotten paid back for turning him down – but then it all went  _wrong_ for her. She turned her head and cracked her neck … before sitting up, holding her head in her hands as she tried to regain her bearings, the guy was staring at her open mouthed. Then he started looking her over as she insisted it wasn't a big deal.

"Honestly, I'm fine," K said a little nervously.

"I heard you break your fricking neck. You're not fine …. you shouldn't be standing," he said, then realization washed over his features.

"No, no no no no. It's not what you think," K said, shifting gears fast. So many bad things had happened to mutants on the news. Lynchings, witch hunts, and straight up murders in broad daylight.

"You're one of  _them_ ," he said, his tone accusatory as he backed her across the arena. "Why don't you give me a reason not to call you in right now." Her back hit the fence and she was left with no where to go as he stopped inches from her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied. Her head was still swimming from the injury and he looked smug as he put his hands on her hips, and pressed her against the fence.

"Then when the MRD shows up and they run their little test, you'll have nothing to worry about. Unless you want to work something out to keep me from callin' em." He didn't wait for an answer before he began to press in again - and in a flash, anger replaced everything else for K as she pushed him back.

"It's not that bad, sweetie. Just treat me right and I'll keep my mouth shut," The familiarity of the words had her frowning - her cheeks burned bright red and she lost her composure.

"I should kill you right now you slimeball," she snarled. "You really think I'd go along with that?"

"You don't have a choice," he spat. "Now be a good girl."

But that was a step over the line for K. A low growl rippled through the air and he froze and the color drained from his face on hearing it. She pressed forward quickly - and he backpedalled to avoid her, even showing his bravery when he wet himself when she popped her claws and started stalking toward him. She stopped halfway across the arena as he made it over the fence. His car was close by and he was already on the cell phone with the MRD.

She retracted her claws and watched for a moment as the wounds sealed themselves before the tears started to flow of their own accord. She'd screwed herself properly. Shaking her head, she ran up to the house in tears and told Bill through hitching breaths basically what had happened, leaving out of course that she'd popped her claws. "It's alright, let me make a few phone calls, I'll take care of it," Bill tried to reassure her, promising that he'd get SHIELD on the line, but K shook her head and ran for the treeline. He shouted after her, trying to get her to come back, but it was too late.

K was deep in the woods when she heard the choppers overhead. The sound gave her a chill – familiar and dangerous. It would be nearly a month before she found herself one state over and in a vacation community. She broke into a cottage there and cleaned up before stealing some clothes and a bag and walking right down the street to a bar on the edge of town.

It wasn't too hard for her to talk the owner into hiring her. Pretty bartenders were good for business, after all. She was just settled in there when Victor Creed bellied up to her bar.

And at that … the dream broke off and K looked around to see she was nowhere near a beach. Instead, she was in her cottage - and Logan was wrapped around her from behind. Which was of course, the perfect reminder for her to curl up and go back to  _sleep._

* * *

The following evening, after K had a chance to tell Logan the most pertinent parts of her dream-session with Quentin - which had Logan growling slightly - the little family made their way to Bill's place. It was the first that Logan had seen it, and the difference between it and K's cottage was marked. He was her neighbor, but only in a loose sense. His driveway was nearly five miles from the two track that led to K's place. It was a sprawling turn of the century farm house with a massive old dairy barn and a covered arena that Bill used to board horses. "Ten years ago," K explained to Logan, "he used to show and breed horses. His old stud horse is still in the barn. Bill said he's gelded now, but still thinks he's in charge of the herd."

When they came into the house, Clara rushed out to see them, her expression showing clear relief when they came into view. She didn't smell nervous, and her welcome couldn't have been warmer, which would lead most people to believe that she knew nothing of Creed's most recent abuse to K. However, knowing the past with the Creeds, the two Howletts didn't buy it. Not yet. But - they were trying to find out for sure, and that was only going to happen if they  _talked_ to her.

The families spent a few minutes with small talk, but it was clear Clara was bursting to show off a little hospitality. After dinner the men stepped outside to smoke and Clara finally broke her facade.

"I have to admit, K, I'm surprised that the twins are dark haired," she said quietly. K locked gazes with her, as she realized what Clara was saying. The little ones were playing at the women's feet, which was the only thing keeping K from attacking her outright. From the corner of her eye she saw Logan peek at her over his shoulder through the window, his eyebrow raised. "Don't get me wrong, it's a  _relief_ , honestly. Victor is still crazy, and I know you hate him, but I have to tell you, it's honestly  _scary_ to me that he's carrying a real torch for you."

"What all do you know?" K asked, her voice low.

"Well, I know his plan didn't work out the way he wanted - which … I didn't hear about until it was over. I swear to you, K. If I had known what he was up to - I would have warned you." She paused and watched the little ones playing together. "You did find out for sure, right?" Clara said quietly, and for the life of her, K could hardly take a breath.

"I … they were already on the way," K said in a whisper, absently resting her hand on James' head as he leaned on her leg. It took a moment for her to put it together "He  _knew_."

"I'm sure he did," Clara said, quietly. "And I'm sorry. I had thought he'd stop being … like this at some point. It was stupid to hope that, I know. And I know both you and Logan hate him. He's hard not to hate," Clara said quietly. "But in a different scenario -" Clara met K's gaze and immediately regretted putting her toe into that insinuation. But it was a little too late to back out of it. Her gaze darted past K for an instant and she breathed out the rest - almost mechanically. "-it could have worked the other way."

In a flash, K was so angry she didn't even know where she could begin to set her straight. Her ears were rushing, her vision was starting to blacken at the edges - though the center was getting sharper, and K didn't realize she'd started to growl.

Lucky for Clara, though, the men made their way back in time to intervene. Sadly for Clara, both of them knew K well enough to see that she was livid. Bill stopped in his tracks as he looked at K trying to get a hold of herself.

"What's wrong, K? You girls have a disagreement?" Bill asked, genuinely concerned for them both and  _never_ having expected his old friend and his wife to have such a harsh reaction. Especially since K had even  _stood up for them_ at the wedding.

"No, sweetie. We were just talking about my brother. K isn't a fan," Clara said.

Bill nodded his head, though he didn't relax. "The way the man acts, Clara, I don't think many are," Bill said. "How do you know Victor?" he asked K as Clara frowned.

K closed her eyes as she tried to find a way to spin it. She wasn't trying to protect  _Victor_. But Clara … though she'd pushed a button, it wasn't  _her_ fault her brother was a monster. There just wasn't an easy way to tell Bill what had happened without hitting a few of  _his_ buttons.

"He raped her, Bill," Logan supplied, which was enough to get both of the women to turn his way. Clara didn't think Logan would say as much, and apparently, Logan wasn't as concerned with scaring Bill as K was. The statement summed it up all succinctly and left no room for misinterpretation.

Bill was in honest shock at hearing it as he stared at K while she still tried to gather herself and find the right words to explain it, and it was clear to all of them that she was incredibly uncomfortable. "K, honey, no," Bill said, nearly whispering as he sat between the two women. He didn't seem to realize it as he put his arm around her.

Logan flinched, but waited. He wanted to give Bill a chance to show his colors, but if he made even a whisper of a wrong move - Logan was prepared and ready to end it fast and painless.

"Bill. No. I'm fine. Really. I'm over it," K told him. It felt odd to be reassuring someone else over her trauma.

"But that sonofabitch is so goddamned  _big_. I  _knew_ there was somethin wrong with him! Ought to shoot the bastard," Bill nearly growled out. Bill and the boys had tried for years to protect K from that kind of thing when she lived there. And though he'd told Logan as much, she really had no idea the lengths they'd gone to to keep her safe.

"You met him, Bill?" Logan asked, trying to divert his rage and get the answers he came for.

"Ya, I met him. He came up and introduced himself when Clara was pregnant. Brought her an old family heirloom – a rattle for the little one. Came back maybe six months ago, wanted to see little Saul," Bill answered.

"Bill, do me a favor and just let it go, eh?" K said quietly. "Believe me, you do not want to get in the middle of anything with this guy."

But Bill couldn't believe his ears. "Did your husband do anything about it? Did he go after him? No offense, Logan but you're kind of a little fella against Vic – at least I'm closer to size."

"I took care of it, Bill. If he knows what's good for him he'll leave her the hell alone," Logan said as he looked at Clara meaningfully.

"Billy, you really don't want to get in the middle of this," Clara said. "I know he's little but Logan is plenty capable of protecting K. Besides, I'll be honest with you, Vic's a world famous mutant. He can heal like K and Logan. You don't want to shoot him – it would only make him mad."

"Yeah Billy. Don't wanna start somethin' with someone nastier than you," Victor's voice rang through the house as he stepped in the back door.

Without thinking about it, Logan's claws were out and he was growling "Take it easy, Runt. I'm not here to fight," Victor said, smirking at the reaction. "Don't wanna start anything with the kiddies, do ya? Besides, I needed a word with you an' your little  _wife_ , Runt."

"I got nothin' to say to you, Creed, and there ain't no goddamned way you're saying one word to her without my claws aeratein' your brain pan," Logan growled out. "So why don't we take this outside so we don't make a mess on yer sister's nice rug."

Creed locked gazes with him and the two began their posturing, both of them crouched and ready to spring at each other just as K stepped between Logan and Victor. "Get  _out_ ," she said in a low, warning growl.

"Coverin' his ass again, K? Never thought I'd live to see the day you'd need a frail to step up for ya, half pint," Creed growled out, which only had Logan growling deeper.

"Like your sister savin  _your_ ass is any better?" K challenged - and when Victor took half a step closer, K popped her claws just under his nose. "What do you want now, Creed?" K snarled. "Still can't find a woman of your own?"

"That's cute, frail. By my measure I did find one, then he took her. But that ain't why I'm here. We got trouble," Victor said evenly. "It involves both of ya, so I guess I need ya to give me a favor."

K barked out a laugh. "A favor. I wouldn't piss on your face to put out a fire," she spit out, turning away already – a mistake any time with him that close to her. He grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away and before she thought about it, she'd sunk her claws into his stomach. Victor let out an involuntary snarl and his hand tightened around her arm, but amazingly … that was all he did.

"It involves SHIELD. They're pickin' up healin mutants all over the world and startin' their own experiments. Your little pal Stark thought he cleared out all the files, but he missed the originals that Cornelius gave to Killebrew. Not that I care, but they'll be makin a move to snatch up the kiddies soon, so if you want to keep yer brats ya might want to reconsider not puttin out that fire, ya uppity little square-head."

It was too much for Logan as he rushed at Creed, who simply pulled K up tightly to him to use as a shield. There was no way Logan would hurt her, and of course, Logan stopped in his tracks. "Go on, runt," Creed growled as he held K by the throat, crushing her to him.

"Take it outside," K whispered, with Creeds' grip too tight for her to actually speak as all eyes flitted to Bill, who had just racked a round into his hunting rifle and had it pointed directly at Creed's head.

"Put her down, big guy. No reason at all for you to touch her ever again," Bill said evenly. If he was scared, it sure as hell didn't show.

Creed glared at him. "You think you can make the shot, farm boy?" Creed snarled.

"Oh, you bet your big ugly ass I can. Spent ten years as a sniper for the Navy. How quick can you heal from a .300 Winchester to your orbital lobe," Bill replied, perfectly cool and collected.

K actually smiled at him as Creed let her slip down and finally let go of her. To her supreme relief, Bill was smart enough to not drop the rifle from his target.

"Alright. Don't make a bigger mess, boys – and K," Clara said quietly. "The kids are still here too, don't forget that."

Logan waited until K was at his side and Creed had moved back before he retracted his claws. The whole group stared at each other for a long moment - and still, Bill kept a steady bead on Victor. K and Logan's little ones ran over to their parents as soon as the immediate danger was out of the air, and little Saul happily toddled up to Creed, unaware of the danger as Victor picked the boy up.

"If that's true, Vic, why don't you just go back to your hole and let the X-Men handle it," Logan said.

"Like I'd trust your little X-geeks to handle this right," Creed growled back. "Can't even keep me in check for more'n a week."

"How bout the Avengers then?" K offered and Creed scoffed as he tipped his head at Saul, who was concerned at the blood on Victor and quietly saying 'oush' over and over as he tapped Victor's chest.

"That's a joke and you know it. I'm talking about pullin' together the old team – Maverick and Wraith anyhow. K you can step into Fox's place – fitting enough seein' as ya already did," he laughed to himself. "Avengers can't get involved seein's as SHIELD is part of the problem."

"Killebrew, eh?" Logan considered. "If he's the trouble it'd be a good idea to get Deadpool in. Don't think anyone knows 'im better or has a bigger axe to grind against the guy."

Creed grinned, nodding his head. "That's the way, boy. Grab yer gear, let's go," Creed growled out.

"Not a chance," Logan replied. "You go talk to Wilson. We're goin back to Westchester. I'm talkin' to a few of my people and doin' my own thing before I even consider goin' anywhere with  _you._ I'm not trustin' a damn word that comes outta your filthy lyin' mouth."

"Heh. You do that, boy. Just make sure your security's better'n it was when I took your little wife with me for our little … joyride."

The leer was more than K could stomach and she shivered and stepped behind Logan, using him to block her body from his eyes. "Don't hurt to look, frail. Unless you want another round," Creed grinned as Logan growled deeper.

"You're really anglin' to do this alone ain'tcha?" Logan said through his growl, which amazingly had Victor's whole expression drop.

"Victor, let them go. I'm sure you know how to get a hold of them  _without_ kidnapping K," Clara said, the irritation clear in her voice. Reluctantly, Victor agreed and they parted company. Or at least, K, Logan, and the kids went with Bill as he walked with them to the Jeep.

"You're that Wolverine fella, aren'tcha, Logan?" Bill asked in a grim tone. Logan nodded his head as Bill turned to K. " _Ya little hard ass_. No wonder the guys around here didn't float yer skirt. Had to go find a damned superhero?"

K smirked and tipped her head to the side. "Didn't plan it that way, Bill," she replied.

He shook his head with a resigned smirk. "No, I know. But if I don't give ya a hard time about it, who will? Am I gonna be seein' you on the news too, honey?" he asked, his eyes bright as K shrugged.

"Listen, Bill, we're headed back. I'll be back before too long. Keep out of Creed's way. He's the one that gave Clara those scars – he's done a lot worse to his own too. It wouldn't be any skin off his nose to widow his sister," Logan warned as K bid him good bye and they loaded up to leave.

"I'll take my chances," Bill said. "I told you what I remember from my time at SHIELD. I'll keep my nose outta that program he was talkin' about if nothin' else than to keep from raisin' their security levels if it's all true, but you two? If you're gonna do anything, do me a favor and get better back up than that lunatic." He tapped the open window frame on the Jeep. "Now. I understand removin' a few things from my memory centers, but I think I gotta get after an old friend for makin' me forget about  _this_ jackass." He tipped his head to peek at the kids and wave before he rested his hand on K's shoulder. "Stay frosty, troubles."

"Watch your six, halo," K replied, which got a crooked smile from Bill as the Howletts headed out.


	17. Working With The Tooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **warning on some medical stuff. I tried to be vague but the subject matter might be a bit twitchy in this chapter.**

The trip to Westchester had gone smoothly, and the kids didn't seem to really catch that mom and dad were still on edge once they put some distance between Clara's brother and the little family of Howletts. But Logan didn't wait to get back to the Institute before he dove into finding out how much of what Victor had said was true. But he couldn't do much while they were travelling, so he called in a little help from an  _old_ friend of his.

The trouble of course, was that Maverick knew all about it - and not only did Creed's intel check out, Maverick was the one that had tipped Creed off originally. Which only had Logan wondering why the  _hell_ Creed wanted to tiptoe through the old memories.

The team was only marginally understanding when Logan laid out what was happening and his reasoning for keeping the circle small.

Scott wasn't pleased by any stretch of the imagination, but history had proven that big, obvious attacks were very likely to simply cause this group to pick up and scatter, only to regroup stronger and with a better understanding of their enemies' strategies and how to evade them. Which meant, that as much as Scott didn't like to admit it, this faction of Weapon X was a smart enemy that learned from their mistakes. And that was the kind of enemy the X-Men couldn't afford to have making plans when a whole school full of kids hung in the middle.

But it spoke volumes on where Logan's head was at that he could look past his usual biases to encourage K to come with - and cover his back.

* * *

K was quiet as she stared ahead out the window of the Hummer, entirely on edge. They'd met up with the old members of Weapon X's covert team in an abandoned airfield near the Swiss alps. She still wasn't sure why Logan had agreed to go on the mission, especially since the logic behind it felt flimsy to her, but she sure as hell wasn't letting him go alone. Not with this group of cut throats and backstabbers. K had written the mission off as something to wait and see for, until a few days after their return to Westchester when Tony Stark stopped in strictly off the record with  _Thor_ after K had casually mentioned she'd like him to do a little digging for her .

She didn't expect him to try and get them to take an extended vacation in  _Asgard._ And Creed hadn't been very detailed in his information, but Tony had found that all the known ferals on the planet were being rounded up  _much_ more aggressively than in years past. She was even more surprised when Tony was borderline  _aggressive_ about trying to talk her into getting  _off world_  until his team could find a way to straighten it out.

And Scott was even  _less_ pleased when he heard how desperate this faction was to find those with feral mutations. It was a source of great displeasure between everyone involved, and those that were on their teams. But … after what felt like an old argument, there was a compromise at the last moment that ended with K and Logan sending their little ones plus Kitty and Michael to Asgard with Thor as a precaution.

But that didn't really help, knowing that the kids were on another  _planet_ for their protection. And while they were a whole universe away, K and Logan were stuck in the back seat of a hummer that K positively hated. Of course, Logan had his hand over hers as they prepared for the upcoming raid that promised to be highly violent and it was that more than anything else that had her keeping her professionalism in place.

As for the mission itself, the only thing really clear abou it going in was their positions. This was  _the_ old Weapon X team, reformed with a few minor tweaks. Logan was taking his old position on point of course, not trusting Creed to do it, and with a lot more experience in that position. Creed was slack man, which - although K bristled at it, Logan had to grudgingly admit that  _when_ he did his job on slack - there really wasn't anyone better. Of course, that didn't do much to ease K's mind, but she still went along with it, taking up Silver Fox's old position running flank - which would at least give her the chance to shoot Victor in the face if he screwed Logan over at  _all_.

Of course, there was another hiccup, too, when the Howletts showed up to the rendezvous point and Laura was there waiting - intent on going in with them since she'd heard that her father was in the crosshairs. Logan had tried to argue with her about it - from oh, so many angles - not the least of which the fact that she was absolute  _shit_ on a team, but considering that she'd brought with her new intel and was swearing up and down not to fall out of her assigned position - whatever it was, the group found themselves faced with the choice of either take her along and let her try - or walk away from her and wait for her to most certainly screw up their mission when she showed up exactly when she didn't need to.

"I'll shoot you where it'll take time to recover from the moment you ignore your father's orders," K said to Laura, cutting off the discussion between the men. On hearing it, they all fell silent and a few moments later, Logan told Laura to stick with K on flank.

With John Wraith for their TEC, and Maverick on rear slack for the guys, it was almost like the old days, which was both very good for how they worked, and very bad for morale with how that team had disbanded anyhow. The one other major adjustment was Logan's insistence on putting a sniper in place, and though there were suggestions for others, Logan pulled in Deadpool and had him hidden at a strategic point. Of the group, he was the only one already in position and waiting.

As the little group came close to their drop point, they all quietly began to gather their gear and adjust their earwigs. All the weapons were in the aft of the vehicle, ready to go as soon as they got out. Logan broke form and stole a kiss with K before they left the vehicle, making a point to double check her side arms and help her gear up. As a direct result, Creed was being unusually impatient watching the two of them as he fully geared up himself. The snap of the magazine into his M249 echoed unnecessarily loud as he stared at the two of them. He smirked crookedly at the pair of them as he picked up and shouldered a heavy pouch attached to the rifle by the belt of ammunition it held.

"You lovebirds here to do this or what," Creed growled out. Logan looking at him with a scowl as K racked the bullpup FN SCAR CQC rifle in response to his idiocy. Her pouches were heavy with ammo, too and Creed would likely have been surprised to hear she'd also tucked in half dozen grenades from a friend. "Can you handle that, little girl?"Creed taunted, though the gun really wasn't nearly as big as others that the men were carrying.

For an instant, Laura thought he'd meant her, and with the way she was quizzically looking at the weapon in her hand, it would have been a much more reasonable mark, but … Creed hadn't even blinked as he watched K. She glared at him rather than respond as she adjusted her earwig. The others didn't even have anything with a grenade launcher on it – K however, wanted to be prepared. And she'd have been lying if she didn't admit that she wanted to shoot one into Creed's big mouth.

As they went over the last minute intel, the plan was laid out on where they'd go and all of them took position as Deadpool's voice rang in their ears. "Alright, hey guys – finally getting this party started! Woo hoo!"

"Whose bright idea was it to put him on sniper position. Now we gotta listen to him the whole damn time," Wraith complained.

"You're welcome. Let's just get this show on the road. I don't think any of us really wanna be here," Logan grumbled as they all fell in behind him, weapons at the ready. Laura stared at her father a moment before they began.

"You alright, frail?" Creed asked, almost as if he just realized how deeply Laura was out of her element.

"I have never seen him with a gun before," Laura said mechanically as she readied her own rifle. The statement itself had Creed laughing to himself as he physically made her switch positions with K.

"What the hell -" K said as he finally took his hand off her.

"View's better now," Creed smirked as he looked down at her, grinning.

K blinked and then pulled a spectacular face as she shifted where she stood. She couldn't believe that this  _idiot_ was …  _flirting_. Or at least, something like it. But in a way, Creed wasn't wrong. Watching Logan work out of the corner of her eye, K had to smile to herself. He really was amazing to watch on the job, even if that wasn't Creed's intention when he made her stand in front of him.

Logan and K's wordless communication clued her in to what was going on in his head long before he could signal to the rest of the group, and again, without trying, the two of them were working seamlessly. The team infiltrated the facility quickly and silently, though once they got to a spot where they could use her to get out of their rhythm, Laura broke off from the group to slip into the surveillance room, disabling the cameras that affected their movement, the alarms, all communications, and sealing the door to keep anyone from leaving.

A little further down, the team came across the lab, where they found over thirty restrained ferals of all types caged or strapped down. They were looking down at the theater from above, well hidden by shadows and the ledge itself as they observed the horrors below. K had stood slightly nearer the ledge due to where she had to be in relation to Creed as they progressed. They were moving along fine when he decided she should be  _more_ in the shadows, and without a bit of warning, he pulled her close in to him by slipping his large hand across her waist and hauling her up close. "Keep tight, girl. Don't need to get spotted by a one of these losers," he growled out quietly in her ear. The sound of it honestly froze her up for a moment as the effortless movement reminded her again of his sheer size and strength.

She wasn't sure if he was trying to pull something or not, and before she could parse it out, his hand drifted up to her shoulder where he could direct her easier.

Logan did a double take on seeing what was going on and it was evident that he was losing his patience with Creed taking liberties by touching her, but … now wasn't the time to say or  _do_ anything … yet. Not without blowing the mission, which they didn't want to even entertain the possibility of. For her part, K tried her best to ignore him until a short while later, she had to sneak up with Creed to where Logan was so they could check out the security detail below.

Creed decided it was a good idea to rest his hand incredibly low on her back as the three of them were prone at the edge of the ledge, peeking down. K wiggled away from him as much as she could, trying to give him a far more gentle hint than she normally would for him to not touch her, but clearly that was just what needed to be done for Logan to get right up to the edge of his restraint.

"Vic, I've been puttin' up with a lotta shit from you today. Take your hand off her ass unless you want it removed and shoved up yours," Logan growled out quietly, though his gaze didn't flinch away from the scene below them.

Surprising K, Creed chuckled a little to himself but complied. Which was a mark of how much trouble this place was. There were bigger fish to fry just then. The men in the lab, both guards and docs, they all wore the SHIELD insignia as they worked. While some were drawing blood and running measurements, another group had an already deceased animalistic looking mutant halfway through a very odd looking autopsy.

But that wasn't where the action was. At the moment the doctors had a young woman with tufts of soft wispy looking hair up her forearms that lengthened at the elbows. They strapped her onto an operating table and began running her through her paces. Her screams echoed the chamber they were in as they tortured her until Killebrew's voice rose up above the clatter.

"No, no. No good. This one doesn't heal fast enough. Harvest only," he ordered. Before the group could move, the doctors moved to comply and K reached out to rest her hand on Logan's arm. A few quick taps later, he'd turned his head slightly to where K was staring as he realized what Killebrew was doing. The one in autopsy … they were removing all the marrow from the bones and were preparing to crack open the skull.

The whole team was openly horrified. Even Creed looked disturbed at what was going on.

A young man on the floor – who Logan suddenly recognized as one of the doctors he'd seen on the helicarrier – seemed disgusted by the action of the doctors currently picking over the young feral's corpse. "Dr. Killebrew, can you please explain to me why it's necessary to  _not_ drug them before we remove their samples?" the young man asked, which was when K saw they had geared up for surgery on the still restrained tufted, cat-like young woman.

"I told you, boy," Killebrew answered, with an oddly delighted tone to his voice. "The tissue is worthless if there are any drugs in their system and they need to be as close to alive as possible as we get started. That which is taken from  _live_ subjects reacts so much better than from those already deceased. Even that we can get at the point of death is better material than already dead tissue. It's bad enough that everything we had from the Weapon X project is gone, I shouldn't have to suffer your incompetence too."

Logan and Creed shared a glance at that. "Well, at least  _you two_ don't gotta worry about someone fishin' out your marrow and brain," Creed said, which got an amazingly dry look from Logan.

Logan tipped Creed the signal to back off, all three of them retreating back to the shadows. "Alright Vic. Get the intel we need, then no mercy," Logan whispered low.

"You ready to get kinetic, frail?" Creed asked K with a grin that she … honestly hadn't seen on him before.

Logan watched K for her reaction, and for just a fraction of a second, K could actually see how these two could be absolutely fantastic as a team. She nodded her head in agreement. Where Logan looked grim, Creed looked like Christmas had come early. Logan signaled to Wraith, who checked in with Laura for a status. She illuminated for them where  _exactly_ in the workshop that Killebrew had all of his information – blessedly all of it offline, and as far as they knew, no back ups.

"Just be damned sure not to waste Killebrew until we've had a chance to interrogate," Logan said, then tapped K's arm to signal her to go ahead. She slipped up onto her knees, then took careful aim at the room below where Killebrew had his lifetime of research. As she took aim, Logan and Creed had brought their rifles to the ready.

"On your signal," K said very low, and at the same time both Logan and Creed told her to fire.

A hollow  _thwack_ sounded out in the room, causing the lab rats and security to look around for a moment thinking someone had popped a rather large champagne cork or something to that effect an instant before the three ferals above them took cover. To her surprise, both Logan and Creed did their level best to shield K seconds before the blast shattered the glass in the room below, sending shrapnel flying.

Two guards were killed by glass alone and several docs were injured as K pushed Creed and Logan off her and switched her hold on her rifle, switching out of grenades and going to close-range shooting. Within seconds, the three of them were sniping off the guards almost as easily as shooting fish in a barrel.

It took a few minutes for Maverick, Laura, and Wraith to make their way to the exits, sealing them so that none of the scientists could slip out without having to take on one of the team members. Which really just meant that now was Creed's turn to shine.

With a wicked grin, Victor Creed slung his rifle as he jumped to the floor. The instant his feet hit the ground, the doctors tried to avoid him like the plague, though they were failing miserably as he snatched up one after another, questioning them as to whose project this was. Killebrew himself hid behind a large piece of machinery that a tall, skinny feral man was strapped into.

And once they had Killebrew cornered, Logan went to his earpiece. "Alright, if you can get in, it's time," Logan said into his comm. He was standing over Killebrew, who was staring at him as if he were some kind of a ghost.

"W-who are you talking to," Killebrew whispered, his eyes wide and face pale.

"An old friend of yours. He's got some questions for you, and you're gonna answer every one," Logan replied, as he slung his rifle behind him. The rest of the team gathered up the docs and held them in one place. And once they were corralled, Maverick held them at gunpoint while Wraith kept watch for any uninvited guests. As K pushed the SHIELD doc into the group, he tried to befriend her.

"I.. I worked on you. On th-the helicarrier. I was one of your doctors," he stammered, clearly ready to wet himself. "I'm with SHIELD. Please."

"Yeah, I remember you," Logan growled out, sneering at him. "You were lookin' at her like a damned piece o' meat. You take her blood here after we left?" he demanded. The terrified look on his face was all the proof Logan needed.

Killebrew's head whipped up to K. "You're the sample from SHIELD?" Killebrew managed to squeak out before he could censor himself and Creed backhanded him.

"Shaddup, ya overgrown rat," Victor growled. "No one wants ta hear what you have to say."

"Even with the toxins in your sample, your chemistry is  _fascinating_. Oh, I do wish they'd have found you. I would love to get you into my workshop," he said, the tone in his voice purely greedy.

"Can I shoot him  _now_?" K asked, looking to Logan, and she was honestly surprised at his answer.

"I think you'll need to take a number on that, sweetheart. Much as I hate to admit it, Wilson's got first crack at this one," Logan replied as K came to stand next to him. "But you've got the next crack if you want it."

Killebrew's train of thought was clearly interrupted at mention of Wade. "No. You're bluffing. You don't have that lunatic with you," Killebrew gasped. But as if on cue, the sound of someone kicking in a door echoed from the hall followed by quickly approaching footsteps.

"Don't try to run!" Wade shouted out, long before he appeared at the door Wraith was guarding. "You'll only die tired!" Killebrew's head whipped toward the door to the sound of quickly approaching footsteps. When Deadpool walked through the door, Killebrew tried to get away from him. "Come on,  _pal_. We got lots to talk about for about two minutes before I waste ya, ya sick puppy," Wade growled out, dragging Killebrew to one of the examination tables.

Laura went to the door Wade had come in through to keep watch while Maverick and Wraith kept their positions. K and Logan however, simply turned their backs to Killebrews' screams, while Creed watched on with a sadistic grin.

"You should see this, frail. Ol' Deadpool actually has some good ideas," Creed said, trying to get her to his side.

But K shivered, leaning into Logan instead as they waited. Several minutes later, Deadpool came over to the couple while the tortured doctor breathed heavily in the background.

"Got him all softened up for you," Deadpool said, strutting in and stopping next to K and Logan.

But Logan and Creed shared a look before both of them headed back to Killebrew, leaving K with Deadpool. It was quiet exactly half a second before Wade began talking, leaving K convinced that it had been a new record for him.

"Sooooo. How have you been? Last I saw you you were naked and covered in blood – red is totes your color, by the way," Deadpool said, allowing his lack of social convention to show brightly.

But rather than dignify that, or to try and pick a less insane route, K turned to look at him for a moment. "What's with the mask?" K asked, earning not an answer, but a laugh from John Wraith.

"You don't wanna  _know_ , little girl," Wraith said, shaking his head.

Before Deadpool could answer, Killebrew's anguished scream echoed the lab, followed immediately by a whole lot of snarling and Logan kicking Creed out. Creed stomped over and stood behind K. As he stood over her shoulder, Creed made an effort to not snarl at her as she ignored him. "You shouldn't turn your back on me, frail," Creed growled down to her.

K didn't bother to turn her head. It had already been a miserable night. "You shouldn't be callin' me frail, cocksucker," K growled in return. All the men in the room froze, eyebrows raised at her insult. She could feel the rage rolling off Creed as he considered shredding her into a fine mist and all at once, the team slipped into a different set of pre-determined jobs.

Wade put his arm around her shoulders and tried to direct her away from Creed even as she planted her feet stubbornly and Maverick stepped in to block the path between them. "Alright now, just calm down. We don't need to turn on each other," Wraith said, hands out in front of him, though he clearly wasn't stupid enough to take his finger away from the trigger guard.

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that," Creed snarled as he leaned over her shoulder.

"I'm an American. It's a free country," she replied simply.

Deadpool chuckled, breaking the mood only slightly. "American. Tee hee," Deadpool giggled.

Which was enough to make K finally turn her head to his laughter. "What's so damned funny?" K asked him.

Wade had just taken a big breath to answer when Logan walked back. "All yours, Wilson. I got what we needed," Logan said, stopping in front of K and facing Creed. "You wanna step back from my wife now, or you lookin' to bleed?" Creed narrowed his eyes at him considering his options. "Keep in mind she's kicked yer ass before and I'm right here to help her."

Creed growled and pushed K into Logan hard enough that she would have hit the floor if Logan hadn't caught her. "Keep her. She's got yer stink all over her anyhow," Creed spit out as Logan held K upright.

Deadpool began chuckling as he skipped back to Killebrew, though if they thought they were in for a long drawn out affair they were wrong. Two gunshots later, Deadpool dragged out a can of diesel he'd brought in with him and began dousing the lab while Logan, K and Laura released the caged ferals. When most of the prisoners were clear, Deadpool lit the place up, burning all evidence of the experimentation that Logan hadn't pocketed while Creed began shredding doctors. Logan coldly took K by the elbow and led her out as Creed had his own little version of a party. Neither one of them liked it, but that was part of their agreement, and seeing as Creed had behaved pretty well, Logan had to hold up his end.

* * *

The couple was on their way back in a mini jet when K finally turned to her husband. "Did you find what you were looking for back there?" She looked very relaxed, leaning back in her seat as she watched him.

Logan's mouth tightened as he looked back at her, trying to keep his serious expression in place. "Yeah. I think so. I took everything that relates to us, and everything that has to do with SHIELD. You're gonna need to go with me when I talk to Fury, though."

"What for?"

"Emphasis." Logan smirked crookedly and turned back to the control panels.

K followed his gaze and stared at the banks of lights and switches. That could mean damn near anything. She found herself watching Logan again with her head tipped quizzically as he flew the jet. She was just  _watching_ him as he was obviously thinking hard about something until his gaze darted to her, and he lost his businesslike expression in favor of trying to get her to  _smile_.

"What?" Logan asked, oblivious to whatever it was she was thinking.

K took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before carefully choosing her words. "Why was Deadpool laughing about my being American?" she asked cautiously.

Logan's expression shifted to one of surprise for a fleeting moment before he tightened his mouth and shook his head lightly, then went to fiddling with some buttons he clearly didn't need to mess with at that moment as K eyed him warily. Particularly when he didn't  _say_ anything.

"Logan -"

"He's a lunatic. Don't worry about it," Logan said easily.

But K's eyes narrowed and her lips parted as she caught the tiniest hint of a lie in the air. "What. Did. You. Do." As she bit out each word, she turned to face him, moving smoothly in a predatory manner.

"Nothin', darlin'," Logan said with full confidence. "I didn't do a damn thing."

"I'm going to find out – whatever it is that you did," K told him, as Logan resolutely made a point to  _not_ look at her. "And judging by your reactions, I'm probably going to be mad, aren't I?"

Still, Logan didn't react at all to her. And he didn't answer her, either.

Irritated, K finally returned to simply staring out the window, arms crossed tightly over her chest and her legs crossed so she could twirl her foot in pure irritation.

"Hey, sweetheart," Logan said after a long stretch of silence, smiling at her finally. "Just – remember that I love you before you go to gettin' all pissed off."

K turned her head to watch him again and took in every detail as he looked back almost sheepishly.

That alone was enough to disarm her. "Noted," K replied, minutely relaxing her crossed arms.

But when he saw she wasn't just running with it, Logan switched the jet to auto pilot and the two of them turned to face each other at his prompting with Logan taking her hands in his. "Remember when we were gettin' ready to get married, and you said we'd need to fake some documents?"

K blinked at him for a long moment as her ears seemed to fuzz out. "You gotta be kidding me."


	18. Debriefing

"It wasn't my idea, darlin'," Logan tried to tell her for at least the third time, though by the way Logan was grinning and laughing to himself might not have helped him to sell it. And every time he'd said as much, K shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. "Would've been the other way if we'd done it stateside."

K was giving him a  _serious_ cold shoulder, but he could watch her relaxing as he took her hand in his. He figured he was more or less in the clear when he heard her familiar gripe at the very edges of his hearing.

" _Damn Canadian."_

Logan started to chuckle as K turned to face him finally, dropping his hand and getting into his space - not that he was backing away from her. " _You_  shut the hell up." she said.

"I would but you shouldn't talk about yourself like that," Logan teased. No reason not to throw it at her now that it was known.

She glared at him in response. "I am  _not_  a goddamned Canadian."

"Well, the official word is that you  _are_ ," Logan countered, exhaling the smoke from his cigar as he leaned back.  _Yes_ , she was pissed off, but it sure felt good to have that off his chest. The truth of it was that at first he thought it was funny, but as time slipped away from him he just couldn't find a good time to tell her and the further they got from it, the more pissed off he knew she'd be. "You alright, darlin'?"

K sighed as she finally relaxed a bit. "Yeah, I guess," she said finally. "That's just the last damn thing I had on my mind. And you're going to  _pay_ for this," K added with a growl.

Logan smirked, already taking an educated guess on how that was going to go down considering her track record when they didn't see eye to eye. "You go on and do your worst, sweetheart, but like I said – wasn't my doin'." He was incredibly glad that she wasn't a telepath because all teasing aside, he was pleased that she was taking it so well. He was  _sure_ he'd be in actual trouble whenever she found out.

But at that, K narrowed her eyes, still not believing him entirely. "Who did it?"

Logan shook his head as he put out the cigar. "Nope," he breathed out, the last of the smoke rising around him as he exhaled and reached for her hand.

"Have it your way," she replied, squeezing his hand. She was already thinking about how she'd get it out of him, and both of them were looking forward to a little private time before they saw the little ones the next day.

A short time later they landed, and the two of them made their way inside, his arm around her as they walked. When they disembarked the plane though, Tony and Thor were awaiting them in the hangar with Scott. "Did you do it?" Tony asked. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks and in reality, he likely hadn't. He'd been  _obsessing_ over SHIELD secretly reviving the Weapon X program for their own purposes, which, he had yet to determine.

"Yeah, we got it," Logan replied, digging into a pouch at his waist before he handed him a flash drive. "Everything there's been destroyed, including all the personnel. Hope you didn't have friends in there."

Tony looked taken back by the news, but didn't say anything as he grimly stared at the flash drive. He very well could have done the mission himself, if not for the fact that SHIELD was keeping tabs on his armor and he was paranoid that their programs had interwoven to each other to the point of redundancy. Tony's gaze wandered to K, who still had her gear on from the raid, with only the rifle missing as she leaned against the wall, looking distant a little distance behind Logan.

And though he wanted to … considering the subject of the mission, Tony thought better of asking her how she was in his usual way  _yet._ Instead, he opted to get right down to business. The group headed down to the war room where Scott dove right in, more than ready to see what exactly they'd found. But as soon as Logan started the debrief, Tony was just looking more and more sick at the depth of corruption they'd found already.

"Don't call Fury for anything," Tony said suddenly. "his phone is tapped. Can't be trusted." Logan swore under his breath. "Natasha either."

"That would explain why they knew so much," Scott said dryly.

"Yeah, his normal level of secrecy wasn't enough," Logan agreed. "His refusal to tell anyone anything was the right move, even if he conveniently forgot how to clue anyone in."

"How long do you think he's known or suspected this was going on?" K asked while Logan went against Tony's advice and went right to the horse's mouth.

"You comin' out to poker or do I need to drag you, Nicholas?" Logan growled out.

Fury's tone was suspicious when he answered back, getting Logan to narrow his eyes further. "I can bring some beer if you think there won't be enough in your corner of the western hemisphere."

"Nah, we got all we need. Just bring your money," Logan replied. Nothing more was said as he hung up.

"What was that?" Scott asked.

"Lettin' him know he's got trouble. He'll be out as soon as he can break away," Logan replied. "I'm gonna go change." He gestured toward Tony, who was into a air gap laptop. "Keep diggin, I'm sure there's more little … treasures in there." He grabbed K's wrist and dragged her behind him toward the boat house, but ... Halfway there, something felt  _off_.

"Stay behind me," Logan growled out low, his body tensed as he scanned the treeline. They'd barely gotten back, he was sure they'd cleared out any chance that those operatives in Switzerland could have used to reach out … but that didn't stop Logan's heart from pounding in his ears. And he wasn't the only one either.

Tired as she was, K was also looking for something off around them. She was frowning deeply and crouched just slightly higher than Logan, though they were both slowly sinking lower as if hugging the ground might make the sensation of being watched lessen.

Logan had caught a whiff of something  _foreign_ … gun oil, though that could have been on either he  _or_ K considering they'd both been using it and the wind was swirling just enough to make it useless to work with. For a long while, the two of them simply watched, and K only turned her head to look toward the road when she crumpled to the ground as the echo of a shot rang out.

Logan spun to the direction of the shot. "K, are you alright?" But she didn't answer, and when Logan couldn't find any marker giving away the sniper's position, he dropped to her side to assess her. She was on her side, perfectly still as Logan covered her body with his to block the sniper from getting another shot in. He looked down at her, frowning when he couldn't see the injury - but he could  _smell_ the blood. It took a moment for his mind to catch up with what had happened, but when he did … "No," Logan breathed out, his entire body numb when he realized she'd been shot directly in the eye.

In a panic, he picked her up, turned and ran for the house, hoping he could get her inside before another shot was taken. As he breached the front door, he shouted out his override command to arm the security system as he rushed her to the lab.

* * *

K was completely unresponsive while Logan frantically gave her mouth to mouth barely into the lab. The alarm had been raised as Hank rushed to help. They were having trouble keeping her heart beating, and it didn't look good. Jean had to come in after hearing the pure  _panic_ Logan was projecting, and since he hadn't spoken to anyone in favor of keeping the rescue breathing going while Hank prepped the respirator for her, Jean didn't have much of a choice but to read Logan's mind. But even with that, it took Thor pulling Logan away so Hank could get her intubated as they all held their breath waiting for her healing to kick in better. The fact that her heart was beating even sporadically was incredible.

"We can't use an X-Ray or MRI. It just won't see past her skull. Which means the only option we have in front of us to go in through the wound and attempt to find the bullet," Hank said, frustrated at the thought.

"The amount of damage they you'll likely do with that is  _staggering_ ," Tony said, letting his presence known as he stepped further into the lab. "Even to someone that can heal. If you're right- and I'm sure you are- the bullet's already ricocheted around her head and resting who knows where. I can guess the damage."

"The only way this could even have happened is by some horrid, miserable miracle," Hank said. "The bullet had to have been just small enough and  _soft_ enough to hit at just the right angle to shear off as it slipped right into the orbital fissure at the back of her eye socket."

"The odds on  _that_ are-"

"Doesn't matter," Logan said, shaking his head, wearing an unreadable expression and refusing to look at any of them. "We only got one play if it's that hard to get in."

"We have to call Magneto," Scott said quietly.

"Well, yes," Hank agreed. "We can't leave the fragments inside her brain. Her healing won't be able to expel it with the adamantium in the way and she won't be able to heal if it's left in."

"He's her only shot," Logan said, already resigned to it. The room was silent. For Logan to ask for help was monumental on it's own. To request Eric was unheard of.

"Logan, are you sure? Maybe we can find Lorna instead," Jean suggested.

But Logan was already shaking his head at that. "No. If you don't want to do it, then give me the damn phone. I'm not gonna cross my fingers that you find the second stringer in time  _and_  that she lucks out and doesn't do more damage. I need a pro on this. She needs  _him_. I don't give a damn what feud is ragin' right now. Just  _get him here_."

Jean nodded and ran from the lab, which was once again silent outside of the slow beeps from the monitors and the mechanical sound of the ventilator.

"There's gotta be another way," Tony whispered. But no one really had any kind of answer yet.

Jean returned before anyone could come up with an alternate solution. She looked almost sick as she held it up. "He wants to hear it from you," Jean said.

But Logan didn't hesitate to pick up the phone and dove right in. "You already know the situation," Logan said, not even pretending like there was another option. "I need your help to save my wife." There was a brief pause before Logan gave a few affirmative answers and finally: "Anything for her." There was a short pause and Logan thanked him before hanging up and handing it back to Jean. "He'll be here within the hour."

"Logan … do you really think that's the best idea?" Jean said. "We can keep her going, we can  _help._ "

"Tell you what, Jeannie - you or Slim can go ahead and get yourselves a secondary mutation before Erik gets here -  _master it_ , and I'll tell him where to stuff it. But if you can't do that …"

"You're not thinking clearly," Scott said.

"I'm doing what I have to do," Logan argued. "If the roles were reversed, you'd do the same damn thing - don't even  _act_ like you wouldn't."

Logan swallowed hard and took a seat next to K, flat ignoring any other questions that any of them had, though Tony was simply frowning quietly at the scene. None of his team mates could believe their ears. And all that  _Scott_ could see was that Logan had just offered himself or any of their secrets as  _payment_ if that's what Magneto wanted, to hell with all other obligations.

Scott tried and failed to come up with something to say, and after getting frustrated to the point that he just wanted to  _hit_ something, he finally shook his head and left the lab.

Jean had been a  _bit_ more level headed - but not by much. While Scott was upset - and rightfully so - she reached out to find Kurt and to tell him that Logan  _needed_ him.

Of course, it would take Kurt  _time_ to get there. Even teleporting, Kurt didn't have the range to go across the globe in a few leaps. But he was racing and teleporting as quickly as he could to try and talk some sense into his upset best friend.

Jean was wringing her hands when she met Eric at the door with Charles. He made no friendly chatter with them outside of asking that they lead him to Logan. Before Erik got to the lab, he had to make sure that he asked the obvious on seeing Logan. "Is this some thinly veiled ruse to capture me?" As he spoke, he reached out and levitated Logan, his arms tight to his sides.

"I'm not that stupid," Logan answered.

Erik frowned at that and set him down, though he didn't let up on the magnetic hold that kept Logan from moving. It was only a fleeting thing, but Hank saw for just an instant that Erik looked pleased as he stepped around Logan to where K was laid out, shaking his head sadly when he saw her state of affairs. "Tell me what happened," Eric said softly with what sounded like nothing but kindness in his tone as he loosened his hold on Logan.

With a heavy sigh, Logan launched into the story mechanically, and sounding overly worn down. He gave details of only their walk to the boat house that ended with him rushing her back, though- not a peep about all that had happened before they got that far.

Erik turned to watch him, and it was easy enough to see that he was taking note of the black combat fatigues both ferals were wearing still. "You will need to tell me everything of your mission when we are through," Eric said.

For a moment, it was plain to see the muscles in Logan's jaw working, but the longer it took for him to answer, the less approachable Erik looked, until finally, Logan agreed to tell him, even over the instant uproar of Scott and Tony's protests.

But that, too seemed to please Erik. As the heroes argued, Erik turned back to the battered little woman. He raised his hands over her head, his eyes closed as he focused on finding the extra bit of metal inside her. As he worked, K's head turned toward his hands and he opened his eyes on finding the foreign substance in her head. He toyed with it a moment before slowly manipulating it back out of the damaged eye. The copper fragments were mangled from ricochets against her adamantium skull.

Always the dramatic one, Erik turned to Logan. "Hold out your hand," he said, and grudgingly, Logan did so Erik could drop the fragments into his palm. "Remember, this was what it cost for me to buy your loyalty. Pennies worth of copper for a man with a ten million dollar skeleton."

Logan simply stared at it for a moment before his fingers closed around the bullet. "She's worth a helluvalot more to me than pennies," Logan said simply, which earned him an understanding but sad sort of smirk from Erik.

"I certainly hope so. Now, come and tell me about your mission earlier. I'm sure your 'friends' won't harm her in our absence."

With an unreadable expression, Logan turned and led Erik past the small group of heroes to the ready room that had previously been occupied by Tony, locking the door behind him as he sat down with Erik and told what they'd been through. When they were finished, Erik simply turned to see himself out, though Charles refused to let him simply  _walk away_  without talking to him as Logan made his way back to the lab. But the reception there wasn't all warm and fuzzy by any stretch.

"What did you tell him?" Scott asked low when Logan stepped into the room. "What the hell, Logan. Are you going to tell us what happened?"

"I told him everything, and I can't tell you the same."

Scott stared at him for a moment as his temper flared, but before he could get started, Logan turned to Thor.

"I'm gonna need my kids back. As soon as you can get 'em here."

Thor nodded and quickly turned on his heel, leaving them to fulfill Logan's request. The air felt charged, the group was in shock. Jean looked ready to cry, and then Logan hit them one more time. "Hank, I need you to do me one more favor. Get her ready to leave."

"She's in no condition to go anywhere Logan. You need to leave her right here so we can -"

"She has to go with me, Henry. Magneto will be back tomorrow night. I can't do this without her. Even if she doesn't wake up for a while. I need her there," Logan said, cutting him off, and exposing  _part_ of the conditions of the deal.

"So you have to what …?" Tony asked, looking as if Logan had slapped him, but that only morphed to confusion as Logan shook his head no.

"You'll find my comms In my Jeep, Harley, and locker," Logan said, his gaze drifting between Scott and Tony. "I'm off the team effective immediately."

"Wait – which team?" Scott asked

"All of them. I'm out," Logan replied.

"So what? You're just going to  _switch sides_? Just like that? K won't go for it," Tony said confidently, his chin tipped up and there was no mistaking the anger in his voice.

"She's my wife. She belongs with me and she'll stay with me even if I have to make her."

"Logan," Jean said in a tone that was obviously heart broken.

"I wish it was different, Jeannie. But, I gave my word. I can't go back on it."

"There has to be a way out of this," she said, even as Scott simply got quieter and more angry.

.

"Those were his conditions. I agreed to them, and that's the end of it," Logan said with a finality that warned them not to push it.

For a moment, Logan wasn't sure if Scott or Tony were going to keep going - or even take a swing, but finally, Scott dropped his gaze for just a moment. "You know you're wrong in this," Scott said finally, not at all comforted when Logan nodded. "I'm not letting this go."

"Wish you would."

"Too bad," Scott said before he simply stalked out, with Tony not far behind him - and without anything to say at all.

"Jeannie, tell Charlie I'm sorry."

Jean turned his way, frowning at him for a long while.  _For what you've done or what you're going to do?_

 _Yes,_ Logan replied, only leaving Jean with a bit more fire in her gaze than she'd had moments before.


	19. Avalon Is No Paradise

Abbey watched with a tiny frown as strangers moved her mother out of the big house on a bed. She didn't like what she was seeing. Especially all the funny tubes and wires all over her mother. Her frown deepened and Abbey wiggled to be let down. She  _wanted_ to go snuggle up with her mom - that  _always_ helped wake her up, and Abbey was very sure that mom needed kisses and for Abbey to rub noses with her, but Auntie Jeannie wouldn't let her go, and what was worse, Auntie Jeannie was  _angry_ with her Daddy.

Abbey did  _not_ like that one bit.

She watched the adults argue, her focus bouncing between them as her little features screwed up in concentration. They bicker about her, and her little brother and sissy - and how much baby Rachel was going to miss them, which had Abbey suddenly wanting  _down._ Right  _now_. She started wriggling harder in Auntie Jeannie's arms, pushing on her and both saying "down" and hitting her arm until Jean finally relented and set her on the ground. As soon as her little feet hit, Abbey ran to her Dad, who was quick to pick her up. She threw herself into him, hugging him as well as her little arms would allow, her head on his shoulder as he hugged her back. Couldn't Auntie Jeannie  _see_ how much her Daddy needed  _snuggles?_ Not yelling -  _snuggles._

Abbey didn't know all of what was happening, but she knew she wanted to be with her parents. She had just gotten back from … wherever that was with too many people in bathrobes with long hair and funny words. And even if Mom was sleeping hard, it felt good to snuggle up with Dad. And that's what Abbey focused on instead of the arguing. Her Dad was  _so tired_ , and she didn't know why they couldn't see how tired he was or how  _sad_ he sounded. That just had her snuggling in better with him.

Before Abbey left with her family though, she heard Charles in her head – that sneaky Uncle Charlie liked to tell her things no one else could hear.  _If you ever need help, or if any of you are in trouble, just call out to me, Abbey. I will always listen for you._

Abbey sat up and turned to look at him, watching him for a moment before she gently pushed on Logan's shoulder - and without a moment's hesitation -  _not like Aunt Jeannie_ \- her Daddy let her down to say her goodbye to Uncle Charlie. She crawled up with him and snuggled in for a moment, enjoying the hug he was giving her and again making sure she understood to reach out and to  _shout_ in her head if she had to - and to keep shouting until he answered her.

Finally, Charlie let her down and Abbey made her way back over to her Daddy, who was looking very sad when he picked her up again, but he wasn't saying goodbye to their family at the school. Her big sisters were upset with Daddy, and she even heard Jubie say something bad about Mom that made Daddy very mad, but she didn't understand it. As her Dad carried her away from the house, Abbey peeked behind them and waved sadly at Charlie in the window.

He wasn't going to be okay with Abbey gone all the time, she knew it. But she also knew that she had to take care of Dad, too. The twins were too little to know how to snuggle him right - even when he didn't ask for it. At least Charlie had baby Rachel.

* * *

"That  _had_ to be a one in a million shot," one of the doctors said, peeling open K's eyelid and trying to examine her once she was in the medical setup in Erik's new base. All the damage to her eye was healed, she was breathing well, her heart was thumping away… she was healing.

The doctors had just removed the tubes for the respirator and after a short coughing fit, their patient was sleeping soundly. "It was pure luck," the second doctor said.

"Do they know who did it?" The first doctor asked, as he maneuvered K to a different bed, one that was in the room of the X-man that Magneto had bargained for.

" _They_  don't. You better hope they don't figure it out either. All hell will break loose if that animal figures out it was all part of the plan," the second doc answered.

* * *

All in all, it took nearly two weeks for K to open her eyes. When she did, she was alone in a strange place, without a soul around. She began to look around herself, trying to gain her bearings when a tall man in a white coat came in, asking her questions. She could hear him well enough, she just … couldn't understand a word he was saying.

It didn't take long for him to get frustrated - particularly when he realized she didn't understand him and in short order, he simply left her alone.

K stared at the door for a moment, more confused than before the had doctor come in. What's more - it smelled strange in the room. Not just the antiseptic, but there seemed like there was a lot of ozone thickly in the air and it had K on edge waiting for lightning to strike.

She was getting a little scared as the scent didn't fade, and she decided it was time to get the hell out of wherever she was. As she swung her feet over the edge of her bed, her husband's familiar face appeared, and a moment later, he took her hand. K grinned at him and then pulled him close enough to wrap her arms around his neck, clutching to him as he squeezed her hard enough to crush her.

"I swear to God, you took a few years off me with that," Logan said, his voice all gravel and smoke.

" _Hej, hjärtanskär_ ," K said, which had Logan smiling at first. " _Jag är så glad att se dig. Vad hände, var är vi_?"

Logan stiffened in her arms, then held her at an arm's length to look at her properly. "Do you understand me, sweetheart?"

K looked confused as she concentrated harder on him and straightened up, almost mirroring his movements. " _Vad i helvete menar ni? Jag förstår inte dig_ ," K said in a whisper, searching his face for answers.

"Flamin' hell," he mumbled to himself, rubbing his face. His nerves were  _fried_  as it was. Erik's place was posh, spacious, but they didn't have a damn thing for him to do to burn off his energy and he hadn't been allowed  _out_ unless he was  _retrieving_ covert information. He suddenly found himself wondering if she'd been speaking to the little ones in Swedish when he wasn't around. He hadn't learned enough yet to do more than get her to grin at him and steal kisses … but maybe … "I'll be right back, sweetheart. I'm goin' to get Abbey."

"Abbey?  _Var är hon_?" K asked, clearly not understanding him. He put his hand up to try to show he'd be right back, returning a few minutes later with the little girl. "Abbey!  _Åh, min söta liten flicka_."

In a heartbeat, Abbey rushed to her mother and an instant later, the two of them were hugging tightly. " _Jag missade du mama_ ," Abbey's tiny voice rang out, and Logan dropped onto the foot of the bed, sighing in relief. At least  _someone_ would be able to translate, as long as the words were small. Far from ideal, but … still better than nothing.

A few minutes later, one of the doctors made an appearance, and checked K over. "What is she saying?" the young doctor asked Logan.

"No idea," Logan replied.

The doctor frowned and turned his way. "I thought you knew half the langages on the planet."

"Not that one."

"Huh. That's interesting. Do you think she'll fade back into English, or are you gonna have to learn whatever it is?"

Logan shook his head, unsure of how to even answer that. Of all the bad options he'd prepared himself for, he hadn't even considered this was a possibility. Hell, he didn't even know that Swedish was her  _first_ language. "Probably oughta learn it anyhow," Logan said, and with that, the doctor left them alone.

A few hours later, after K had been reunited with her little ones, where she fell into complementing them and teasing them in what apparently was her native tongue- with the little ones reacting as if they understood her perfectly- they received a visitor. The doctors had gotten word to Erik on K's condition. Of course he did. He had  _needed_ to keep close watch on the little woman – her health was vital to his plans, after all. But when he heard K speak, for the umpteenth time in the past few years, Erik truly wished Charles was on his side in that moment.

" _Vad han gör här? Är vi fångar_?" K asked, her brow wrinkled as she stared at Erik and he stepped into the room.

On hearing her talk, Erik paused and watched her a openly, taking her in. "If Charles were here ….  _my word_. He'd have a ball with her."

"He always does," Logan said, though he didn't even  _look_ at him. The language was just one more hurdle that Logan couldn't find a fast solution to and by the time Erik showed up, he was beyond stressed out. He had  _no ideas_ on how the hell was this supposed to work out.

Erik rested his hand on Logan's shoulder for a moment. He hadn't entirely meant it as a reassuring gesture, but it was as close as they were going to get. Logan had proven himself, retrieving information from the Black Budget in the UK – Britains' version of weapon X, and the Omega project in Russia.

But in sending him out on those runs, Logan knew now without a  _doubt_ what Erik had wanted him for, and he  _hated_ it. It was bad enough that many people – his own team mates at times even – considered him an animal. Now he got to be an example of what their own government – that claimed to stand for human rights – had done to unwilling mutants. He certainly wasn't the first, but he was one of the few still alive. And K -she was proof that it had continued this whole time.

"It will all be over soon, and you can take your family wherever you wish. Go back to Charles if he'll allow it, but if you do, my offer for protection will be rescinded," Erik reminded him leaving Logan more heavy hearted than he had been in years. "I can  _almost_ understand her. If it weren't such a setback, it would be positively charming."

"She's not done healin'. She's still sleeping a lot," Logan replied. He desperately wished that Eric would just drop it and let them leave. He'd put his neck on the line for him a dozen times in the short time he'd been there – all of it covert.  _It had to be_. Had he been caught and identified doing what he was doing, the whole point of having the two of them there would be shot – though it hadn't passed Logan's understanding that  _if_  that had happened, Magneto would simply use that as proof of the manipulations that Logan's mind had been through. At which point, Erik would simply use K as the stark contrast – which right now would work perfectly, seeing as she was just spending her time with the little ones, the picture perfect little mother.

"Be that as it may, Wanda will be bringing you some materials so that you may communicate with her. Learn the language quickly, Logan. It could help her regain her full mind," Eric said, leaving him alone with his little family and his thoughts.

A few hours later, Wanda did indeed show, materials in hand. "Are you sure you don't want me to just …. give her a little push?" Wanda asked, feeling horrible about the whole situation - especially since while Logan was on missions and K was out, she was the one that got to care for the three little ones

But Logan shook his head at the offer.

As it was, Wanda truly felt for them. She had been questioning her father's methods now for a while, and knowing what he'd done to get Logan there had weighed heavily on her mind. There were, after all, many  _other_ mutants he could have used for his illustration. Many that were more than willing to support his viewpoint.

"I don't want to mess with her head," Logan said after a while. "She might just get it back."

Wanda nodded in understanding, then gently told him that if he changed his mind, she'd be more than happy to help him.

* * *

K  _was_  beginning to get some of it back. She wasn't totally up to trying to reply in English, but she was starting to understand some of what the English speakers around her said. It didn't help them much when her reply was always in Swedish, though. They didn't know what  _she_ was saying at all. And Logan was under such duress that he simply couldn't focus enough to  _study._

They had some time alone and K knew that she needed to ease his mind somehow. So, concentrating hard, she reached out and gently took his hand. " _Damn Canadian."_ It had come out with a terribly thick accent as if she didn't know how to wrap her tongue around the words right.

Logan  _had_  been pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to center himself when he heard her little  _lovers_ name for him. He turned to look at her in disbelief, only to find her smiling at him. "Can you understand me?" he asked whisper quiet. K frowned, but nodded slowly. "You can  _think_ in English?"

" _Ja_ ," K replied nodding - which was how Logan could see that there was simply some kind of a disconnect happening that she hadn't gotten past yet.

Smiling the tiniest bit as he squeezed her hand in response. "Erik's right. Charlie'd have a field day with you right now."

* * *

It took only taken  _hours_ after Logan and K left Westchester before Charles and Hank could get the team to calm down and focus. The evidence ahead of them was fairly damning. Charles didn't trust how lucky a shot that was. No sniper on the planet could have hoped to breach the adamantium in her eye socket with such a fine margin. Had it hit millimeters in any direction, it simply would not have penetrated. It certainly would have done her damage, but not like this. The fact that Eric was so close by when it happened also had Charles suspicious.

But he couldn't find the proof. And Charles tried hard not to condemn someone without proof.

Tony Stark had happened to come by to work in the lab with Hank one afternoon a week after the incident when Charles came to see how their work was coming. "Slow. but - that's not important," Tony said, cutting Hank off from a proper answer. "I've got the satellite images,." Tony held his gaze for just a moment before he swiveled in his chair and handed over a file folder. "You were right. It was Domino. She even admitted it. She was hired to take out K – even what shot to use on her. She says she feels awful, if that counts for anything, but I doubt she's giving the money to a children's charity in penance."

"Who hired her?" Charles asked as he skimmed through the file folder.

"That's the best part," Tony said. "It was Magneto. He told her that K was working for Weapon X in an effort to get Logan back on the leash."

Anger flashed behind Charles' eyes and he had to remind himself to control the urge to go up to Avalon and start a fight. Not before he knew what exactly it was Erik was up to.

* * *

Logan kissed K as she slept, his hand covering hers as he readied to leave for another mission. She was finally in his room full time with the little ones. The three kids were snuggled up sleeping with her at the moment. But K couldn't watch him go without their usual send off. "Be careful, love," K muttered quietly enough and carefully enough that a camera would have had to have been mounted on Abbey's head to catch it. "Don't get caught."

"I'll try not to, Darlin', but God only knows what's gonna happen when I get in there _,"_ He replied as he leaned in to kiss her properly seeing as she was awake.

"Love you," K said clearly, with worry etched on her features.

"Love you too. Don't worry. I'll come back to you," Logan promised with a little wink.

K nodded, but watched him leave anyhow, not really relaxing until she heard the doors close down the hall, and even then, she couldn't really calm down, only lying still so that the little ones snuggled into her weren't disturbed.

* * *

Logan hopped the fence, praying that the alarm wasn't on, though he knew the chances of that were next to nothing - all points considered. He  _had_ to get in and out undetected. He didn't know how his old team mates would take it if he was caught stealing intel from them. He was in his super sneaky mode, mindful of the mines that Forge had installed near the house. The place was dark, only a night light shining in a window here and there in the student's wing. The last time he'd tried to get past security for their test, he was captured and shot up. He was reasonably sure he'd be shot up a hell of a lot worse before someone killed the system if he got caught up this time.

It was easy then, Forge's scent was still littered around where the mines were. This time, there was enough time that had passed that the scent was long gone. Before Logan got to the lawn though, he was hit with a crippling headache. Pain bloomed behind his eyes and his hands went to his head as he fell to his knees. He couldn't  _see_. He couldn't  _hear_. He could hardly move but to thrash and cry out in pain. He couldn't even focus to pop his claws.

In the midst of the pain, he found himself tasting dirt. His arms were wrenched behind his back and his wrists and ankles tied together. The pain dissipated and he found himself looking at Scott, Kurt, and Forge with Jean standing back a few paces – and every one of them looked  _livid_.

"You didn't really think you'd be able to sneak in here again, did you, Logan?" Scott said, arms crossed. "You sold us out. SHIELD isn't going to give you immunity anymore either. You're a wanted criminal now."

"And your  _other_ ex-team will be here in a few hours to haul you off," Kurt spit out, pure venom in his tone. "Perhaps I shall take you to them sooner. If you cause us more trouble, I can drop you."

With that, Scott and Forge each grabbed an arm and started dragging their old teammate up to the house, clearly intending to throw him in a holding cell.

"Wait. Lemmie explain," Logan rasped out, but he didn't get further than that before he was cut off.

"Don't waste your breath," Kurt ground out from between his teeth as Scott and Forge dropped Logan on the front steps, face first into the concrete. Logan heard beeping as Forge swept his body, searching for electronics and tearing out his two way communicator in his ear and smashing it. What Logan didn't expect was the recording device Forge found in his belt, which was also subsequently smashed.

All at once, the whole mood shifted as soon as the second device was destroyed. "Come on, Logan. Let's get you cleaned up," Jean said in a relieved tone - to Logan's confusion.

When Scott and Forge picked him up again, roughly hauling him in, they kicked the door closed behind them before gently setting him down this time."We're on your side, Logan. Relax," Scott told him as he untied his old friend.

When Logan had his hands back he looked at the three of them with an expression that read exactly how weary Logan was feeling. "What the hell's goin' on?"

"That's what we need to tell you before you get your intel and make a spectacular escape," Forge replied as they led him to the lower levels to fill him in on all they'd found out.

* * *

Translations:::

1)"Hello, my heart's love, I'm so glad to see you, where are we?"

2) "What the hell do you mean? I don't understand you."

3) Abbey? Where is she?

4) Oh, My sweet little girl.

5) I missed you, mama.

6) What's he doing here? Are we prisoners?

And thus ends the foreign language portion of the evening.


	20. Mutant David And Goliath

Abbey was playing with her little brother while K got Rose dressed. They hadn't been awake for too long when several men came into their room demanding that K gather up the kids and follow them. Of course, based on their tone alone, it was clear K didn't appreciate their attitude, and instead of even pretending like she cared what they wanted, she played dumb, acting confused, asking them questions in Swedish that they could not answer … and then turning away from them in favor of a little game of  _Rida, Rida Ranka_ with Abbey.

Of course, it really was an act at this point. She was fully healed, and had her full facilities back. She'd actively worked to fix it once she'd forced it to tease Logan, though she wasn't speaking out  _loud_ in English, instead simply working her mouth and tongue, trying to remember  _how_ to form some of the sounds that did  _not_ work well for a native Scandinavian speaker. K had stuck to Swedish, more than to simply feign ignorance, though. She wanted to know what Erik was up to … and if he had more plans in place for her  _family._  It had worked beautifully too.

For example, the doctors and guards didn't censor themselves with her since they were convinced that she didn't understand English. So far, she'd heard already the name of the woman who had shot her, the fact that Erik had  _hired_ Domino to shoot her, the plans that Erik and his lackeys had for Logan once this mission was complete,  _and_ she'd heard more than enough to confirm Erik's total disdain for the feral mutation in particular, which she thought to be particularly hypocritical from the guy saying how much he wanted  _all_ mutants to be safe and free.

She'd also learned that she had a possible ally in Wanda if she could approach her properly. So far, Wanda wasn't quite ready to leave her father's side – though if she heard the rumors correctly, Wanda was just looking for a reason – any reason.

But knowing all that she did, it was difficult for K to keep her anger in check. Particularly on the days that Erik chose to keep her nearby, watching K and the little ones interact. In fact, the only thing that kept K from taking a shot at the big man herself already was the simple fact that he did not trust her one iota. Every time she was in the same room as him, her bones vibrated ever so slightly – tipping her off not so subtly that he was highly guarded around her and ready to incapacitate her in the very  _least_ should she so much as try anything off color. It was an impressive bit of non-verbal intimidation that was hard to misinterpret.

The guard in charge returned not long after the first few left and took a deep breath as he reached into his front pocket to pull out a note card and tried to tell K – in the worst Swedish she'd ever heard – to please follow them. She stared at him a moment, letting the poor man wonder if he'd screwed it up entirely until K smiled and agreed. With a few soft, sing-song words, K gathered up the kids - a twin on each hip while Abbey held on to K's pocket.

And though she was smiling serenely, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad must have happened to Logan. And the fact was that they hadn't come up with a plan for her to get the kids  _off_ of Avalon should that happen.

* * *

In the mansion, Logan had transitioned from depressed and confused to positively livid. He  _knew_ he was being manipulated going into things with Erik, but not by such an insane margin. "I gotta get back there and gut that sonofabitch," Logan growled out as he paced.

"No Logan –  _think_ ," Scott said, stepping into his path to stop his  _pacing_. "You're the last person that needs to take on Magneto head on. Here." He handed Logan his flash drive back with a smirk. "There's your intel. All of it."

"Of course, it's slightly modified," Kurt said as he stepped forward and took a hold of Logan by the shoulders. "We couldn't let you go back empty handed,  _mein Freund._ "

"Magneto wants to make an example of someone. Hydra wants the research to use for their army, and Magneto believes the UN is going to give it to them since SHIELD isn't working fast enough for them. The only problem is that there isn't any  _research_ to read about anymore. We took care of that – thoroughly," Scott said.

"So you know," Jean told Logan. "There's been a silent coup in SHIELD. A small army of Fury's best and brightest led the charge, and to give you an idea, they hardly have enough personnel to run one helicarrier right now. Infiltration ran deep, and half the board is now in jail."

"Captain Rogers was nice enough to let us know that Fury's got it under control," Scott said.

"And Betsy has been helping both Steve and Fury," Jean said. "She's been posing as his right hand man, scanning the minds of every single SHIELD agent or support person that goes through the doors."

"He  _will_  require seeing both of you when this is done. Just make sure they make it to the drop point so SHIELD can capture. And Logan, we need you to do this  _our way_. You know what you can lose if this doesn't work – and our way is the only one that lets you keep what you have," Scott said. "I know you want to get them out of there, and honestly, I'd  _like_ to play with my Godson."

Logan and Scott held each other's gazes for a long moment, though if Scott thought Logan was second guessing him, he was entirely off base. He just… was so stressed out he couldn't even begin to think of what it was that Scott might have come up with. Without saying a word, it was abundantly clear that Logan was feeling responsible for far more than he could have possibly been able to claim.

Jean and Scott shared a look and Jean reached out to Scott.  _You really need to get through to him._

 _I know,_ Scott replied, sounding supremely irritated. But then he couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, I almost forgot. One last thing, Logan" Scott said offhandedly before out of the blue, he hauled off and decked him.

Jean swore and Kurt straightened up - his tail straight out behind him.

"The hell, Summers," Logan barked at him, already headed toward Scott with his hands in fists, but Scott held up both hands and held his ground.

"Hey. You have to  _look_  like you fought your way out, right?" Scott said as his smirk stretched into a smile and just like that, Logan's furious expression slipped away, though he held one hand out as Scott raised his hand to his visor..

"Now wait a minute," Logan said. "You're not funny, Slim. Just-"

Scott cut him off before he could really argue it, blasting him across the room in an effort to make sure the cover stayed in tact.

* * *

Erik was rewatching a feed of the Mansion – from when Wolverine had been captured. There was no mistaking the venom in NIghtcrawler's voice as he addressed his prisoner. Which … honestly more troubling than Erik had anticipated it would be. The intel Wolverine was to retrieve was pivotal to the big picture. Erik's recruitment campaign needed to show the severe abuses that the powers of the world had committed against mutant kind and rumors of the Weapon X program, and others like it, had gotten to the level where most mutants thought them to be urban legends told to terrify them into compliance.

Showing the world the  _truth_  - that these things had been done and were still going on - that the people it was done to did not consent to any of it but had only wanted to be normal, peaceful people,  _families_ even … well,  _that_ could certainly start a revolution if one were to handle it properly. And who better to guide all of mutant kind than one who had been through such abuses and fought against them his whole life?

Erik debated sending in a second team to distract the X-Men to facilitate Logan's escape, or to simply take the intel themselves and leave the him to his fate. He could always turn over the woman and the little ones to Charles later. After all,  _they_ hadn't betrayed their team. They had no choice in it, and Logan had done well bringing his family along as Erik had asked him to, even if Wolverine had tried to leave them out of it. That was something Erik had of course expected. The man was selfless to the point of idiocy, but without his wife and children there, there would be precious little Erik could do to control him. It was just a shame that Erik had been forced to order him to bring them along.

"We're waiting to see if your husband gets out of this little mess he's in," Erik said to K, even though he was sure that she simply hadn't regained her full faculties yet. The guards ushered K into Erik's quarters - with a stunning view looking down over the earth.

The whole while, K was sure to act as if Erik was talking to someone else as she looked around the room. Which in itself had Erik smiling. Secretly, he was entertained at her apparent obliviousness to what was going on around her, and when she saw the view of the earth behind him, she stopped and openly gawked before whispering out something that rolled off her tongue so beautifully that Erik couldn't help but smile a little wider. Like this - wiped mostly clean and back to her roots, K seemed to Erik  _nothing_ like the woman he'd met that he'd had to rescue from a mind control device.

No longer a strategically minded weapon, K was absolutely charming. She was cheerful, unless frightened, and then she seemed ready to run or hide. And though it illustrated perfectly to Erik what Weapon X had  _stolen_ from her, he knew he couldn't trust it. Especially after having seen first hand what the woman was capable of.

When K made no reaction to his statement, but to finally smile at him, he gestured for her to take a seat nearby, and as she did, the little ones happily followed in her wake. He watched them play, thinking of his wife, Magda, and his own little ones, now grown, and a bitterness rose up at how much he'd missed of their young lives. Thankfully for him, his train of thought was interrupted when the radio crackled with Logan's gruff voice echoing over the waves.

"On my way. Hit some trouble, but I'm out," Logan said, leaving Erik grinning.

"It won't be long now, my dear," Erik said to K, and on being addressed, K turned his way and again smiled pleasantly.

* * *

When Logan arrived, he was a  _wreck._ His uniform was shredded and covered in dried blood and he carried something familiar in his hand as he handed the flash drive to Eric's attendant.

"What is it you have there?" Erik asked, his gaze locked on the object in Logan hand.

Logan glanced at it, then smirked in such a wicked manner that it set Erik back even before he could answer fully. "Souvenir," Logan growled out, tossing the object toward Erik.

Half-startled, Erik caught it mid air, before his breath caught on recognizing it, but even as Erik was drawing his conclusion, Logan had picked up Abbey. "You …. killed Cyclops," Erik said - the tone of shock in his voice apparent as he examined the ruby quartz visor. It was perfect, save for cracked lens with three claw punctures and blood splatters on the inside of it.

"What, you gonna miss the guy? He was a pain in the ass. Hell, you said it almost as often as I did," Logan replied. "Besides. You said get the intel. I got it. You didn't say anything about collateral damage."

It was clear from Erik's expression that he wasn't pleased. "This won't sit well with Charles. You've just made things very difficult for me," Erik said.

But Logan shrugged easily. "I ain't a mind reader, Mags. Job is done. You need somethin' else, or can I take my family outta here?"

But Erik was obviously shaken as he nodded, then dismissed him with his little family in tow. As soon as Logan was gone, Erik reviewed the intel in silence, only calling for Wanda and Pietro when he was ready for them.

* * *

Logan refused to say anything about the mission to K – preferring instead to simply hold her tightly as he waited for the bottom to drop out. And she, in turn, comforted him as best she could seeing clearly that his stress level was reaching a breaking point.

A few days later, Magneto's daughter rushed in, pale and upset. "You have to get out of here –  _now_ , Logan. I called Xavier, they're supposed to be on their way." Before either could ask a question, Wanda rushed over and picked up Rose to help them run. "Father found out the whole thing was a set up. He's going to make you suffer unless we get you guys out.  _Hurry._ "

The trio ran along the corridors, and they nearly made it to the little craft that Wanda had waiting for them when quite suddenly K couldn't move. She looked down at James in her arms, and began to panic. A few steps ahead of her, Logan was frozen in place too, with Abbey looking at him curiously. The expression on her face was clear as day: "What is wrong with Daddy?"

Wanda spun on her heel when the two ferals stopped, and in an instant her face lost all color when she saw her father holding the two of them in place. "Father – don't! It's not right! You can't do this again!" Wanda called out. She rushed to K and managed if nothing else to slip James from her arms. Before she could get to Logan, however, he'd been dragged to Magneto's side.

"We had a deal,  _Wolverine_. You were to serve me as I ordered until I released you from our agreement. I have not done so, and the information you 'stole' from the X-Men was false. Did you think I wouldn't discover your deception?" Erik snarled at him.

And though Logan didn't answer, Abbey clutched to her father, terrified of Erik as he drew closer to them. And of course, all she could do was close her eyes tight as she buried her face in Logan's neck and start calling out as loud as she could for Uncle Charlie

* * *

Which was par for the course when the X-Men were nearly there. Charles had them gather up after Wanda's call, but he was truly on edge after catching Abbey's projection. The bright little girl really only knew that something bad was going to happen to her parents, but she didn't know what.

Charles, however, had a very  _good_  idea about what was likely about to happen and he didn't know if he could keep Logan together should Magneto repeat removing Logan's adamantium, let alone if he did it to both of them.

* * *

"Lord Magnus, the X-Men are approaching. What would you have us do?" one of Magneto's more rabid followers asked as Erik continued to glare at Logan. It was bad enough that he'd betrayed him, but now, it was clear that he wasn't anywhere close to feeling even a little bit remorseful over his deception.

"Let them come. Clearly they didn't learn their lesson from last time we met like this. Do  _you_  remember how this ended last time,  _Wolverine_?" Erik said, clearly furious. And for the first time since this mess had started, Logan's fear betrayed him and it was easy for Erik to see in his eyes.

It wasn't long before Charles made his appearance with his small band of X-Men, Erik had told his followers to stay back from them unless directed, so the large group of Acolytes lined the walls of the room in case they were needed.

"Eric, let them go. They only want to be a family. You remember what that's like, don't you?" Charles said while projecting to Abbey that she should come to him, but Abbey wouldn't budge. Not when she was terrified for her parents and only wanted her father.

Wanda still had the twins and didn't hesitate to bring them to Charles' side. Both of them wer thrilled to be near their 'other' family, but both quickly wished they'd thought to stay as Abbey did, even if they were getting snuggles from Kurt and Scott.

Erik spread Logan's arms out, then floated nearer to pry Abbey from around his neck, all while Abbey was sobbing out 'no' and fighting him to stay with her father.

"You don't need to be near him, little one," Erik said to her quietly, though when Abbey saw he wasn't going to set her down - she decided she didn't want  _anything to do_ with anyone  _else_ either. Clearly, Erik was the key to getting to her parents. So instead of begging to go to her father, Abbey stopped pushing to try to get him to set her down and instead held on tight to him.

The whole of the X-Men were scrambling to get closer as Logan began to panic.

Jean and Charles were working hard - though they both found it harder to do  _anything_ in the space station that was made of whatever metal that stopped them from reading Erik's mind.

The panic only increased when Logan realized that his wife floated next to him, mirroring his position, their fingertips just barely brushing. Before Logan could argue Erik's decision, he spoke up to explain.

"She didn't do anything wrong  _yet_ , but I can't have her coming after me either. I know how you animals tend to react to things," Erik said as he held Abbey close. He hadn't said anything but he fully intended to hand the little ones over to Wanda once he was done with the X-Men. As he shushed Abbey, he tried to be sure her eyes were hidden if she was going to refuse to let go of him- holding her little face into his neck before he got a better grip on the metal.

Simultaneously, both Logan and K felt the tiniest tug as Magneto tested his hold on the adamantium covering their skeletons. As he focused on them and began to look more grim, Logan tried to prepare for the pain that he knew was coming. He could barely move but he managed to whisper out a soft goodbye that had K outright panicking. The two of them mentally braced for the worst when with no warning, a scream echoed the room and the Howletts dropped to the floor, seemingly unharmed.

 _Erik_ , however fell to his knees, and as soon as he'd gotten a decent grip on Abbey- he threw the little girl away from himself and toward her parents. His hands were shaking as he tried to cover the blood running down his neck.

At the same moment, a sharp snap echoed the chamber when Abbey hit the ground and the little girl screamed out in pain.

When Erik crumpled,  _Scott_ took advantage and fired off a lower level blast that hit the helmet's exposed interior just right - knocking it loose and allowing Charles to do what was necessary to stop him in his tracks. He paused every soul in the room outside of his X-Men while an inhibitor was placed on Magneto.

Logan got to Abbey before anyone else could come close. The little girl had a splash of blood down the front of her shirt, and she'd hit the ground hard enough when she broke her arm that she had banged her head. Her little arm was angled out badly, and obviously broken. And as Logan held her, trying to rouse her, the rest of the team rushed in. They didn't expect for Wanda to aid them as they gathered the little ones up, but she did all she could to undo whatever damage she could.

Logan cradled Abbey in his arms as the twins rushed to K - all while Hank tried valiantly to assess Abbey on the go as they rushed out with Wanda joining them. After all she'd seen, she flat refused to remain with her father's disciples one moment longer, though the man himself was on the blackbird, unconscious.

The team was in shock at little Abbey's quick action, but it was no doubt an effective move.

Once she was deemed stable by Hank - and safely medicated against pain, he pushed her upper lip back and simply shook his head. Tiny feral indeed. Her canines were already rather pronounced and clearly incredibly sharp, not that it wasn't suspected after her handiwork had been so apparent when Hank dressed Magneto's terribly shredded neck – The little one had managed to nick his carotid when she bit him, though it very easily could have been a less dangerous bite.

When Abbey woke up a few hours later, Hank insisted that she stay in the lab. Especially seeing as her healing abilities were not developed yet - and just like the rest of the team, Hank truly had missed the little ones. Besides, the little girl had suffered a  _concussion_ in addition to the broken bones in her arm.

And for the whole time Logan was there, he dutifully held her. When she woke in pain, curled up on her father's broad chest, his heavy hand on her back as he held her close, that in itself was soothing enough.

Once the temporary cast was on - yellow by Abbey's choosing - Hank was sure to inform Logan that she'd need another x-ray before they could set the bones, and that would require a small surgery seeing as she was developing claws like her parents, and though they weren't fully formed yet, two were broken along with both bones in her forearm.


	21. Synapses, Damage, And Isolation

K was sitting in a window seat in Charles' study. She was depressed after hearing the reactions that some of their friends and family had when Logan had been forced to leave. Charles had given her free rein to use his study to get away from the whispers and stares, even if it was due to her perception. She didn't see all of it going out. She didn't see the outcry from the team, but she did hear - after the fact - how upset they'd gotten with Logan and she was torn on where she thought that left her standing.

However, it wasn't most of the team and school she was considering that morning as she stared at the trashed visor that had once belonged to Cyclops. It was damaged beyond repair by the three claw holes directly through the ruby quartz lens and she did not like it one bit. As she was pondering her thoughts, the door creaked open and Scott came to take a seat next to her.

Scott waited a while to see if she'd start speaking first - a good way for him to measure where her head was at, at least. "You alright?" he asked, bumping her shoulder with his.

She looked up at him with a sigh, nodding her head. "You know, he didn't tell me right away that he didn't actually stick you. For a minute there, I thought you were dead, and I honestly was upset with that."

Scott smiled genuinely, but had to tease. "Well, gee, from the way you had told me to curl up and die not too long ago, I'm shocked."

"You  _do_ know I never meant that, right?" K grumbled. "Just … I lash out when I'm upset. Thought you'd be  _used_ to that kind of a reaction." When Scott raised an eyebrow at that, K let out a breath and leaned her head on his shoulder as he sat next to her. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Me too," Scott agreed. "I know you won't believe it, but we really missed you guys. You ready for the big meeting?"

"With Fury? No. Not really. I don't know what he wants."

"I guess you'll have to figure it out when you get there." Scott got to his feet and took a hold of her hand to pull her up with him. "Come on, Logan's waiting for you." When she slowly went with him, he let out a breath. "It's a shame about that visor. I really liked that pair."

"It was your idea wasn't it?" K asked, frowning at him as she shifted in his spot. When his hand went up to rub the back of his neck, it was like a signed confession.

"I … it was the best way I could think of that would let Magneto think Logan got close enough to have the kind of trouble that would slow him down."

"How'd you get the blood splatter?" K asked, knowing already that was Logan's blood.

"He set it on his leg over his knee and stabbed himself," Scott said, wearing an expression of distaste. "I told him it wasn't necessary-"

"That's what sold it though," K said.

Scott let out an interested sounding 'huh' and K smiled at him and she let him guide the way, meeting Logan on the way to the ready room where the couple would have to take a meeting with Nick Fury. They already knew that at least  _part_ of this was going to be regarding their recent brush with Magneto, and part of it they suspected to have something to do with Logan's sudden resignation from the Avengers, but K still felt there was more they'd have to answer for.

* * *

Logan pulled out a chair for K, then took a seat directly to her left, and grasping her hand under the table. She didn't expect Scott to join them, taking the seat to her right, but she was glad to see the two of them presenting a united front all the same.

She had expected to get an ass chewing from Fury, or to have to tolerate listening to one directed at her husband. Instead, she was disarmed by the familiar, kind tone that came from the SHIELD director across the table from them. "How are you feeling, K? I understand you lost an entire language for a few weeks? Is that right?"

K glanced toward Logan for just a moment before answering Fury. "I'm fine, honestly."

"I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit. I can't help but think that's a standard answer from the two of you. McCoy says you're been having physical symptoms. You've been nauseous, dizzy, and have developed a slight aversion to bright light. He also says that may all fade in time. Has anyone done a  _mental_ evaluation yet?" he asked.

And until Fury mentioned it, K hadn't considered that there could be a problem. Now? She was admittedly wondering if she'd lost something vital. "I didn't realize you had an interest in psychology and cognitive development," she said.

"In most cases, I don't," Fury admitted. "But when that case happens to be an ex-weapon that's had her head messed with by the worst criminals and monsters that Weapon X can churn out, I take a minute to reconsider my lack of expertise on the subject."

"Charlie has it planned," Logan said, surprising K. "Wanted her to settle back in first. He's thinks the process of lettin' things grow back into place and heal might've knocked loose some hidden triggers."

Fury nodded his head. "That's all we're concerned about too," he said before he turned his focus back to K, his tone still that same gentle, easy tone at a clear cadence. "Get Xavier to clear you. Once you do, I could use a solid operative for a few missions here and there."

"Not by herself," Logan said. "No solos."

"She'll have a partner," Fury replied, looking at Logan as if the very idea was ludicrous. "I know you can't stand the thought of her on her own with bad guys around."

"Hey, who says I even want to do this?" K asked, looking between the two men as Scott smirked next to her.

"You're in the system now. Your abilities are  _known_ , and to top it off, you're proving yourself in areas that you were  _not_ trained or programmed to do," Fury said, leaning forward in his seat. "Now, that either means you've had more training than you know, or your programming was more extensive than was written up. In either case, you got too much knowledge to be sittin' home playin' June Cleaver all the damn time. You took on some nasty hitters already, and held your own. No reason to not get some benefits from it."

"June Cleaver?" K pressed, crossing her arms as she sat back in her chair. "That's a cheap shot, old man."

Fury smirked. "By all accounts you got no business callin'  _me_ old."

"A gentleman doesn't mention a lady's age," K answered, doing her best attempt at haughty.

"And gentlemen like that haven't been around for nearly fifty years. You're showin' your age just by sayin' things like that," he countered.

"Maybe they needed more June's to teach them not to be insufferable, selfish little pricks," K countered - which had Scott smirking wider.

"Why don't you just spit out what it is you're looking for," Scott suggested. "You know she won't listen if it's not clear anyhow."

"Officially, I  _have_ to offer you a position on staff. The few board members that weren't part of the problem  _did_  see what you are capable of before the information disappeared or changed.  _Unofficially_ , I wouldn't put you on  _any_ mission without your husband or someone he trusted to completely to watch your back. I know you think I'm a pain in your ass, but Logan and I actually go way back. You've been good for him – for the most part," Fury said candidly.

"I'll have to get back to you. You know – in case Charles discovers I'm a total psychopath," K replied, though she missed it when Logan frowned deeper at her response. She didn't know it, but he had been counting on a flat refusal from her. "Or … if I suddenly lose all my English again. It's a thing that can happen, I'm pretty sure."

Fury let out a deep breath, and shocking all three of them, he didn't press. "Well that's better than a no," he replied before turning his focus to Logan. "Glad you're on the side of the angels again, Logan. Just knowin' you were out there for those other guys had some of our best operatives more than a little nervous about runnin' into you in a dark alley." With that, Fury rose to his feet and tipped his head their way. "I'll be back when you're finished with your evaluation. Try not to take twenty years to get it done."

"Well it  _is_  a lengthy process," Scott said, perfectly straight faced, earning a smile from Logan as Fury fixed Scott with an unamused look and then headed out the door and Scott turned to Logan. "I'll make sure he gets out without any deviations." He was on his feet in an instant and was quick to catch up with Fury, leaving the two ferals alone for a moment with K still rolling the conversation around in her head.

"So, I need a  _mental_ evaluation now. Are you worried?" K asked Logan, not sure what to think of it herself.

"Nah. I knew you were nuts when you agreed to marry me," Logan teased, setting off a round of kisses and laughter.

* * *

But when it came down to the actual assessment, Charles was perplexed by K's evaluation. Both she and Logan were worried about damage affecting her personality. They knew there was some memory loss, as expected, the extent of which was yet to be determined. He had found a few of the mental blocks that were in place before were damaged or missing entirely. And then there was the matter of many old repressed memories outlining old abuses and traumatic experiences that were seeping into her consciousness at an alarming rate.

When Scott asked her for a re-evaluation of her fighting abilities, he was surprised when her programming didn't simply kick in as it had before for some things. He watched, both fascinated and deeply concerned as K struggled to make a conscious effort to remember what to do.

It wasn't a problem for the hand to hand combat, and it didn't touch the training that Logan had done with her, but many of the things that she just 'did' before took her a few seconds or longer to remember, and while the telepaths breathed a sigh of relief for the moment, Logan took it as a challenge to train her more to his liking.

"So what do we tell Fury?" Scott asked Logan while they watched her fight Sabretooth in the danger room.

"The truth. Her programming was damaged. If he really wants her, and that's what he wanted her for, then she needs to relearn some things if she's going to work for SHIELD. Some of that garbage is better left behind her though, far as I'm concerned," Logan replied.

After a moment, Scott nodded in agreement. "What about the guns? How do you want to test that?"

"I don't have much here," Logan sighed as he watched her move. She looked like she was having no trouble keeping up with Creed and that had Logan leaning closer to the glass. "Well have to work something out with Stark. Hold on." He flicked on the intercom. "Quit playin' with him, sweetheart. I want your best."

Both Logan and Scott looked a little shocked when she took her eyes off Creed to look up to the booth and nod. The program was set to work like him, and the second she'd taken her eyes off him, the Creed in the room started to growl, tensed to spring and the instant she looked back at him, he'd launched himself at her. But, it seemed that K still had a few tricks up her sleeve. She ducked his assault and popped up behind him,  _remembering_ this time to slice his spine before she gave Scott some fresh nightmare fuel as she jumped on Creed's back and began to smash his face into the ground until Scott ended the simulation.

Mental evaluation aside, K was moving a little bit different, more like she did when she was on autopilot – smooth, flowing, and with a grace that made shredding and disembowelment look almost feminine. As if there had been no lull in the conversation, Logan reached over and added Daken to the room for K to fight with and let slip an approving sort of sound when she dove into him immediately.

"I'll talk to Stark," Logan said at last, concluding his thought. "He's gotta have some way to test, or the access to take her somewhere. We need to test her sniper abilities, close combat firefights, and I'd like to see her on an infiltration scenario."

"As she is now, she's fit for our team if she wants to join," Scott told him, though that had Logan tightening his mouth into a thin line. "She's gotten her kill percentage down  _significantly_." Scott paused as he thought it over. "I'm guessing maybe it's because she isn't flipping over to the programming. She's thinking about what she does, even if it's fast – there's thought there, not just mindless slicing and stabbing."

"Yeah. We'll talk about it," Logan said under his breath as he leaned over the controls next to Scott. Without any warning, he tossed in Jean, Scott, and himself to help her in her fight with Daken – then threw in Cyber, Deathstrike, and Deadpool just to see how she'd handle it.

"This should be interesting," Scott said dryly, though he was frowning. "Better that it's you and not me pushing the buttons."

Of course, the program Logan had used was one that didn't just target her, but those illusions that were on her side too. K didn't realize that part though until Jean was slashed by Deathstrike. K's head whipped around to watch and she hesitated for a second, assessing the situation. In that moment of hesitation, Cyber gutted her holographic husband and Deadpool flat killed Cyclops with a single shot to the head. Logan saw a flicker of something in her stance just before all hell broke loose.

Daken didn't last her long, even when Cyber turned his attention toward her. When the two focused on her, survival instincts kicked in and she tripped into a berserk rage. Only, there was no growling or screaming as Scott was used to seeing from Logan, just silent focused fury.

When the holographic Jean sat up at the wrong time, both men were prepared to see K remove her head, but at the last possible second, K pushed her to the floor with her boot before before lunging with her claws where Jean's head had been to stick Daken.

Logan and Scott shared a quick glance at each other as K started to work  _in_ the rage, pleased when she didn't hesitate to attack Deadpool, who had previously helped them.

"She can distinguish who's on her side when she loses it," Scott said, whisper quiet, something that both men knew Logan had to concentrate very hard to do.

"Keep it to yourself, Slim," Logan said replied, quiet enough that Scott had to tear his gaze from the ongoing fight to watch Logan. "I wanna be sure of what  _she_ wants to do. I don't want any pressure on her to join anyone."

* * *

A week later, K found herself travelling with Logan to a private, secret military style training facility where they were to meet up with Tony Stark and his best friend, James Rhodes. The place they were using was old, no longer used by the military for modern training regimens, but Tony had refitted it with some newer scenarios. The last thing that Tony wanted was to bring a pair of high-value ferals onto an  _operational_ military base. They could have gotten away with bringing Logan in – he had Avengers status, regardless of whether he thought he'd quit or not, but K? Restricted at the least, and sure to raise suspicions.

Tony was waiting to greet them, smiling at them both and making a point to give K a hug. "Are you still the sweet sexy girl that likes large caliber weaponry, or did Magneto screw you up?"

"I don't know … show me whatcha got and I'll tell you if it counts as large caliber or not," K shot back, which only got a delighted sort of laugh from him as he slipped his arm across her shoulders, leading her away from Logan and a confused looking Rhodey as he told her all about the line of goodies he had in store for her. K glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who was starting to look grumpy as the billionaire got cozy with her, even if he knew it was all harmless.

The testing that Tony and Rhodey had set up went well, and K made her way through all the exercises with minimal pausing. It looked as though she was starting to heal even some of the lesser damage to her memory now.

"Got any exploding targets?" she asked to Tony's delight and Rhodey's utter disapproval.

"No, we don't do that," Rhodey said, his arms crossed as he watched her. "We're not going to do that will draw down the attention of the US Military. That's why I'm here. To prevent that kind of indiscretion." He frowned a little deeper and without dropping her gaze continued. "Logan's right, you are a troublemaker."

"Come on, Rhodey, tell her how she did," Tony said, grinning almost obscenely.

Rhodey rolled his eyes as he turned back toward K. "Looks like you pass. Anytime you want to go to the range, you call  _me_ , and try not to get yourself picked up by the bad guys again, got it?"

K nodded, then she sat up from the prone position she was in where they'd ended the sniper evaluation. "It's not exactly like I was trying to get picked up to start with." She pushed her hair behind her ear.

Before Rhodey could argue, Logan thanked them for their time, with K echoing his sentiment as the two of them headed back toward the Jeep. Logan had his arm around her, his hand shoved into the back pocket of her jeans as they walked, which always got a smile out of her.

It wasn't until they were on the road and almost back to Westchester that Logan realized that he didn't think to tell Stark to keep it to himself, and by the time they got to the driveway, he knew that Fury would know exactly where K stood with a firearm at least.

But Charles hadn't given his blessings for K to go out with a team yet as he was still wondering if some latent subliminal message had been cracked open by her injury. So much was shifting in how she trained. It was still concerning enough that Hank had been working with Forge to alter some Shi'ar scanners so they would be able to assess her or Logan more precisely should either ever come in again with an injury to their brain. By the time they'd had their day at the range, it was ready, after  _weeks_ of tinkering. But it was one thing that Charles had asked from her as part of her sessions.

"Are you sure this isn't going to laser my head off?" K asked, looking skeptical as Hank held her hand and helped her to lay back on the exam table.

"Yes. Quite sure. Forge's calculations are rather precise. Now please, don't move. We're going to try to see how badly you were injured, and if you've healed fully," Hank replied.

"Don't you need a baseline to assess 'how much is healed'?" K asked, earning a weary sigh from Hank.

"Technically, yes if we're being precise, but the fact is that we can make an educated guess comparing your scans to that of an un-injured brain," Hank said wearily.

"That's still assuming that I wasn't damaged befo-ore," K sang out sang she stared at the device in front of her face as the good doctor retreated from the room.

"K."

'Henry."

"Hold. Still.  _Please."_

"Okay, fine."

When the device fired up, K's heart began to race, but she kept a lid on it.

A short moment or two later, it wound back down as Hank re-entered the room, offering her his hand to sit up. He smiled kindly and pulled her along to watch the results as they processed on screen, and though she had no context for what she was seeing, it was a lot easier to decipher when Hank let out a little 'oh my stars'. She frowned his way then turned to the screen where Hank began to point out several strange looking faint lines across the picture, but it meant little to her until Hank explained it.

"You've sustained damage to every single portion of your brain. How it knitted itself back together, even with your incredible healing and regenerative abilities is quite astounding. I'm afraid this will take extensive testing to see where you stand. I'm sorry to say," Hank said in a downhearted tone.

K shifted uncomfortably in her seat, frowning deeper at the images as she thought back to all sorts of trouble with doctors. "I don't suppose … would it be too much to know ahead of time … will you be doing the testing?" K asked nervously.

Hank sighed, his shoulders relaxing as he covered her forearm with his fuzzy hand. "Of course, my dear – who else?"

In a flash, she'd turned and wrapped him up in a tight bear hug. "As long as it's  _you_ , I'll be fine with it," K told him. It was enough to take Hank off guard. Hugs from K weren't out of the norm, but hugs in the  _lab_ were rare. Especially when he realized quite suddenly that she  _wasn't_ panicking in his lab at all.


	22. Outside Of The X-Men

"In short, I believe she is 98% the same person she was before the incident," Hank said as he cleaned his glasses. "Her scans are showing that her reflexes, pain responses-"

"Hank, cut to the chase – what's the problem here?" Logan said, cutting him off.

Hank sighed. "No  _problem_ , necessarily. Her flight response is not what it was," he answered.

"Meaning ..."

"She's more likely to stand and fight than she is to run."

"Huh. Well, that explains a little from our training sessions," Logan mumbled mostly to himself.

The training he'd started with his wife was more than satisfactory. Before the sniper shot, K had been reluctant to do things Logan's way, and had fought him every step. Now, she wasn't hesitating to attack, and she rarely backed down from a challenger – even him. She didn't always win, but she didn't do nearly as much of the evasive maneuvers she had before that tended to get her into more creative ways to solve her problems. Of course, the problem was that now she was more likely to get hurt in a fight.

"Charles has already given her the green light, Logan. You two have my blessings as well now that I've run literally every test under the sun twice, and even thought to come up with a few of my own," Hank told Logan as he set his glasses down on the counter he leaned on. "Now, I'd like to talk to you about your daughter."

"Hank, I told you"

"No testing. I understand, but perhaps you  _don't_  understand. She's not yet five. She has shown bursts of what I am sure will be a phenomenal regenerative healing ability in time – just like her parents. However, the claws have me concerned." Logan sighed as he took a seat. Hank had tried for weeks to corner him on this. "They aren't healing properly. I can try to re-set them, but if they don't heal right, they will likely never work as nature intended them." There was a pause between them as Logan thought it over. Knowing what he did, he didn't want her to be without her claws should she need them, and knowing the family history, she would, eventually need them.

"Alright. I'll talk to K." Logan said heavily. "Abbey will be down in the mornin'."

* * *

As it stood, Abbey's abilities were still years from being anything that she could count on. So far in her young life they had kicked in sluggishly only on a couple occasions. The first time when she wasn't yet a year old and she had busted her lip open, and the second when she bumped her head in Uncle Charlie's office. She had a great big goose egg on her forehead for all of an hour before it and the large purple bruise that went with it disappeared. To say that the adults in her life were disappointed that it hadn't decided to kick in when she broke her arm would be an understatement of massive proportions.

Auntie Jeannie had refused to set her down  _all day long_ the day after Uncle Hank had put her arm in a cast, cuddling her and making over her. Her Uncle Scooter was just as bad. Mostly, it seemed, they were upset because should her claws not heal properly now, they may not be functional when she needed them later, and to make matters worse, Uncle Hank had no idea how to be sure it would be fixed up.

"Cut mine open and have a peek, Henry." K suggested as she tipped back her mug, though Logan grimaced at the thought and Abbey frowned up at her mother

"I'm afraid that won't work. Abbey's are not developed fully. That's where our concern lies. It would be similar to if a child broke their leg near a growth plate – that bone simply may not ever reach its full potential if the growth plate is damaged. That may be what we're looking at here." Hank explained.

By afternoon, all of Hanks' tests and scans on the little girl were back – one of the claws had indeed healed oddly. The general consensus though was to simply wait and see if the problem would resolve itself. It certainly wasn't bothering her now, nor would it until she was able to use them.

* * *

Logan and K were enjoying a rare quiet moment alone, wrapped up in each other's scents and reveling in the feel of being close to the other. K had drifted off, and Logan wasn't far behind her when the door knob started to turn. He turned his head toward the noise, and before he could react, K was picking her head off his chest, searching for whatever poor soul had just interrupted her quiet time with her husband.

"I thought you two were going to get back to me sometime this year," Fury's voice rang out.

"Ya know, just for this interruption, I'm far more likely to tell you to go to hell and not come back," K said, the sleep in her voice still thick. "And to think, I was actually toying with the idea of liking you a little bit."

Fury smirked as he made himself comfortable, raising his hand to signal that the two shouldn't bother getting up from where they were seated together. Logan sighed as K rearranged herself a bit, though still tucked into his side quite snugly as he kept his arm around her back and she pointedly draped her legs over his lap.

"What's up, Nick?" Logan asked, his voice a little groggy too.

Taking a deep breath, Fury actually did feel bad for interrupting them. "Oh, you know. The usual. Superhero business. Come to see if your lovely wife was up to goin' on a little mission for us." he replied.

The couple looked at each other a long moment. She'd already been going on runs for the X-men for a little over a month. Logan had even relaxed enough to see her off on a few two man runs, though he was still reluctant to let her go on a solo. She had one planned, but  _he_ didn't know about it yet.

"What is it?" K asked as Logan's arm tightened ever so slightly around her.

"I could lie and say it's an easy one, but if it was, I wouldn't be scoutin' for talent," Fury began. "Thing is, it's kind of near your old neighborhood, and no offense, but that place is hell on our tech."

K nodded in understanding and stretched out for a few seconds only to curl back into Logan. He didn't  _need_ to explain that part of his statement. Not to K anyhow. A large portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula had always been considered hard on tech. The large amounts of iron and copper still in the ground had always interfered with various technology, even if the military had tried to  _use_ some of those same properties to help their ELF system in the 1980's. The locals all knew about it, and rumors had persisted for years that something  _else_ was going on in those military outposts and bases scattered throughout the region.

"This doesn't have anything to do with project Sanguine, does it?" K asked.

Logan turned his head toward her, eyebrow raised in question, but before he could ask, Fury had already shaken his head.

"No. No, this is more to do with supernatural rumors and some of our field agents going missing entirely."

"Why were your agents there, Nick?" Logan asked.

Fury held his gaze for a long moment as he weighed it out. Sharing information was particularly painful for him to do on a good day. Sharing more than what he thought was necessary was excruciating. Getting past these two – the questions they'd ask for the safety of each other? He started to wonder if maybe it wasn't worth it.

"They were investigating some odd happenings out that way. Mysterious creatures crawling through the woods, things like that." He replied, "Here are the files, if you want to read up on it." He added, looking pained to part with his precious information.

K picked the file and leaned into Logan as the two of them scanned through it together. "This sounds like the same old Bigfoot sightings," K said critically. "Everyone up there knows bigfoots' just a drunken naked Canadian that lost a bet."

For an instant Logan looked as if he'd been hit with cold water, then he took a page out of her book and reached down to pinch the hell out of her backside, getting a little yelp and a jump before she hit him in the chest. "Hey! Common knowledge,  _hoser_!"

Fury smirked for an instant but controlled his expression quickly. "No, we're not talking about a drunk Canadian – yet. That would have to come later. This is an actual drooling, snarling beastie."

K tipped her chin up and raised one eyebrow. "Still sounds like-"

"Shut up, woman," Logan cut in.

"-a drunk Canadian," K finished, then grinned brilliantly at him as he narrowed his eyes for exactly as long as it took for her to lean in and steal a kiss.

"She wakes up like this?" Fury asked, to which Logan nodded his head.

She was baiting him and she knew it. She liked to do this just to get him halfway fired up, then she'd blow his bad mood by doing something that would end with him forgetting what he got mad about as they got tangled up.

"Aren't  _you_  Canadian too now, K?" Fury asked, and just like that the smile was gone and K bristled.

"I don't like you very much, Nicholas," K answered, though Logan was the one smiling at her for that. "As for your mission – I'll take it, but only because I was already planning on going to my cottage, and it's near where you want me to go."

Fury smirked at that. "Alright then. I'll have your partner for the mission here tomorrow morning. Be ready to go," he said as he stood up.

"Wait a minute. Who's her partner?" Logan asked as Fury turned to leave. "I thought I was goin' with her."

Fury stopped and let out a breath before he answered. "I should have clarified earlier. Partners. Plural. K, you'll be a  _guide_ for a couple Avengers this time out."

"Which Avengers?" K asked, her arms crossed and her expression almost matching Logan's.

"Stark and Thor."

Fury left  _very_ quickly after that. Logan was  _livid_. He'd expected … well, he didn't know what he'd expected, but he sure as hell didn't want her in the cottage with either one of those two ya-hoos, let alone both of them.

"Sweetheart, it's fine, I swear," K said between little kisses meant to calm him down. "Come along if it bothers you that badly. No one will make a move. Really. Tony's got his sights on Pepper … Thor has … well. Whoever Thor has. I don't know, but he's got someone I'm sure."

"Not the point," Logan argued, though he considered her offer, thinking that maybe it was exactly the right move.

Unfortunately for him, his comm went off a few moments later. "I need your help," Scott said when Logan answered it, and Logan did what he could to bite back the groan as Scott outlined the fast version about a recon mission in South America.

K smiled at Logan with almost a pout as she leaned in to kiss his chin. "You have a mission of your own to keep your mind off it now." She continued to kiss him along his jawline, trying to calm him down.

What she didn't know though was how differently the Avengers handled things compared to the X-Men. And Logan hadn't come up with a way to express it properly to her, either. "Don't like this," Logan growled.

The corner of K's mouth tightened. It was clear he wasn't going to go easy. "You can always come out when you're done in Brazil. You know how to get there," she said easily, working her way up to his ear and he started to relax just a hair.

"What about Creed? You can bet he knows where your place is now. I'm sure Clara clued him in."

"You think I can't handle him? Even with Iron Man and Thor on my side?" K asked as she worked on distracting him away from work talk. "You taught me better than that."

"Would you quit tryin' ta get me in bed and just talk to me a minute?"

K's hands froze at his belt buckle. " _Trying_? You mean it wasn't working?" K asked as his hands closed around her wrists.

"No, not what I said. It was working just fine. You do that when I get mad and I don't want you distractin' me right now,"

"Damn. You figured out my  _dastardly_ plan to make you happy - one romp at a time.  _Curses, foiled again,_ " she teased, which only ended up in a very short, very one sided wrestling match that ended with him pushing her into the couch cushions.

"You can't do that every time, sweetheart."

"It wasn't  _every_  time. Just when you were getting mad at me."

"Not mad at  _you_. Just don't want you out there alone with those two."

"They're your teammates, right?"

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. They wouldn't do that to  _you,_ " K said. "I'm not even an issue here."

"Okay, so maybe you got a point. Fine. I'll be up there as soon as I'm off this mission. If you guys get done, wait for me, alright?" he said gently.

"Colors should be really good in a week or so," she said with a smile before she leaned toward him to steal another kiss. "Call when you know you're on your way."

He frowned for just a second but nodded then went back to where they left off  _before_ he hit the pause button.

* * *

K packed her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder the morning the mission to the north was supposed to start. Logan was sure to walk with her up to the house with the little ones, especially since both of them were saying goodbye to them. Abbey was holding K's hand as they walked up, Rose was on her hip, and James was clutched to his father. As they reached the front doors, Tony arrived with all of his usual fanfare. The little ones said their goodbyes and were sure to pepper their mother with kisses before the three of them headed off to play with little Rachel and Jean. Of course, Logan wasn't ready to say his goodbye until the last possible moment.

"Alright," Tony said brightly, rubbing his hands together and apparently not paying attention to the fact that the couple was involved with a heartfelt goodbye. "You ready to go do a little scouting?"

K leaned into Logan a little deeper as he tightened his arms around her. She had her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"I'll take that as a no then," Tony said, rolling his eyes at the two of them.

"You guys meeting Thor here?" Logan asked.

But Tony shook his head. "No. We're meeting up at her place. Fury told him where it was."

Logan frowned and opened his mouth to say something, though he cut himself off when a shiver crept up his spine when K carefully placed a kiss behind his ear and whispered: "Take off your flannel for me." he didn't wait for an explanation, and instead simply pulled back enough to kiss her  _while_ he complied.

"Um, there are other people here … could you  _not_  jump him while I'm standing here? Please?" Tony requested, though he casually put his hands in his pockets and turned his back to them. "You're going to give me nightmares."

Not that it deterred the two of them in the least in finishing up their goodbyes - and the flannel shirt -hand off. Before it was over, there had been a fresh string of little kisses and promises made whisper quiet back and forth as they each wished each other luck - and  _finally_ parted ways.

"You are so high maintenance," K said to Tony as she walked past him to climb into the waiting car. The drive to the cottage was long and uneventful. Tony of course had wanted to fly, but K put the kibosh on it for a whole laundry list of reasons that Tony couldn't deny: the kinds of planes he saw as low profile wouldn't be able to land on the local runway because itwas too long, the locals would spot him in a heartbeat and their mission would be swamped with his healthy number of fans - which Tony didn't see an issue with, and then of course, the crux of the matter for K. The simple fact that she didn't  _want_ anyone from her turf knowing she was running around with him. "Besides," K told him. "We'd need a car after your giant ego-plane landed to get to where we're headed."

"Quinjet."

"Would have a vertical landing into my front yard - which would give away that location. Jus t… listen," K replied, resting one hand on his shoulder. "We're gonna have a nice long drive together. Let's not make it miserable, okay?"

"M'kay," Tony agreed, turning on his heel as the discussion was so clearly over.

When they got to the cottage, K had to take a moment to center herself as she braced for Tony's opinion on the matter. She wasn't expecting quite what he came up with though.

"Sweetheart, it's so  _cute_. And … woodsy and so –  _you_ ," he said, staring at the waterwheel as it turned.

K let out a breath as she grabbed her duffel bag. "Well it is my house, genius."

"I knew you'd take me home sooner or later."

K rolled her eyes. "Let's get set up already." She led the way up to the cottage door and took a moment to unlock and open it up. On stepping in the door, she turned immediately into her bedroom and dropped her bag on the bed, only to run into Tony as he stood in the doorway, blocking the path out

"So is this where we're bunking up together?" he said with a grin. "Looks cozy. I prefer the left side, but I'm willing to be flexible."

K stopped right in front of him and cocked her hip. "No. I'll be sleeping in the middle."

"Sounds good to me," Tony said with a grin, then took a step forward that had K more clearly stopping him from going in further.

"No. You can take one of the rooms upstairs," K said, first pushing him back a few steps, and then slipping past him to show him the way. He followed close on her heels, commenting on the view as they climbed the stairs, though when she stopped and turned to challenge him on it, he grinned wider and gestured out the picture windows that looked out over the lake. When they reached the top, she opened both bedrooms and stepped back. "The upstairs bedrooms are warmer anyhow. Both are bright and open with windows that open over the wraparound porch."

"I'd do better with someone to keep me warm," Tony said as he clearly couldn't help but try to tease.

"I'll make sure Thor knows you need a teddy bear."

Tony smiled and predictably took the larger of the two, where he dropped his bag and headed back out to the SUV to pull in his computers. By the time she got down the stairs, Thor was already helping him, though she didn't hear him arrive.

She left the two of them to it and decided to take the initiative for once She slipped into her room and closed the door behind her to call up Bill before he showed up and had a run in with one of her roommates. If she thought about it, she realized that he might even have some information on those sightings.

* * *

After a few hours of listening to the two Avengers boisterously going back and forth - with Thor honestly picking at Tony and threatening to  _drop_ some of his delicate equipment and Tony responding very much like a wet hen, K broke away from the two men to meet up with Bill at the bar. He didn't want to talk on the phone about what  _he'd_ seen, and frankly, she was concerned for him since they'd left his place last. Some of the vicious killings and mangled corpses that had been found in the woods could very well be Creed's handiwork, after all.

When she stepped into the bar, all was fairly quiet. There were just a few of the old timers there, and Bill was in his favorite booth. K waved to the bartender and made her way over to Bill without drawing any unnecessary attention as she did so. "Sorry we left in such a rush last time, Bill. I hope you didn't have any more trouble when we took off," K said as she arranged herself in the booth.

"No, no trouble," he reported, though he was watching her closely. It was clear he was uneasy, especially when he didn't even try to hide it. "How're you doin', girl? You still with that wild husband of yours?"

K nodded. "Yeah, all's fine on the western front. I'm out here on some business though."

"You're not sellin' are ya?" he cut in, looking upset, though the clear relief washed over him as she shook her head.

"No. This is kind of an extension of what Logan does. I'm here with a couple of his friends. We're lookin' into some  _sightings_ I guess you'd say. You hear anything about some weird stuff in the woods lately?" K asked as the bartender set down their usual. "I mean weirder than usual. No one wants to hear about that kook down the lakeshore with his nudist camp."

Bill studied her hard a moment before taking a deep breath. "This about them government fellas that went missin' a few weeks back? The ones with SHIELD?" he asked, though K was sure he already knew the answer before she nodded. "Them guys got the Avengers workin' for 'em don't they? Seems like if their usual agents aren't up to it and it's some high powered creep or aliens or whatnot, that's part of what they're there for. Unless you're out with 'em?"

K looked at her hands a for an instant and rubbed the spaces between her knuckles. He knew that she healed quickly. But he didn't know the rest of it. Not that K was aware of anyhow. She supposed that SHIELD might have clued him in way back when, but that was a long time ago, and he'd had some memory mods too … "They needed someone like Logan – someone that knew the terrain." K said quietly as she leaned toward him. In spite of her long standing friendship with Bill, she couldn't help that her heart was pounding as she prepared to tell him what had always been a tightly guarded secret - until recently.

His eyebrows went high before he reached across the table to cover her hand with his. "Alright then. I'll get the right people together to talk to ya. We shouldn't do it here though," Bill said low. "Can I bring 'em by your place in a couple days?"

K considered it. "Can they keep their mouths shut?"

"Why? Who you got out there?"

"They gotta be able to keep their mouths shut, Bill. I don't want any trouble. I'm only here on a trial basis for these people."

"Yeah, sure. They ain't told anyone but me about what they saw. If they think your husband might go after them, they'd shut it anyhow," Bill replied, and for emphasis he gave her a teasing look. "You an' your high bar."

K couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Alright then. Only trustworthy ones, and bring 'em to the sand pit, Friday. I don't want a bunch of people at my place and the guys with me have some things we need to look into before we talk to anyone."

One important detail that she'd gleaned from the SHIELD reports was that although they did a thorough bit of intel gathering, they'd entirely discounted the locals reports, citing them as having been unreliable and blown out of proportion. And while some of that might have been true, she could tell at what point their recounting of events shifted to a lie. And while the SHIELD agents seemed to prefer reinventing the wheel by finding their own incidents, they had to be chasing their tails working around the local folklore. K knew who to trust and who not to, which stories were old ghost stories and which ones could be honestly credible … and she had an edge on the agents that had tried before her. She knew half these guys. After a beer and some honest catching up, K and Bill parted company and she made her way back to the cottage to tell Tony and Thor they needed to get casual to talk with the locals later that week.

* * *

When she returned to the cottage, the two men she'd left behind were arguing. Tony wanted to find the outpost and retrieve the information, but Thor wanted to hunt the beastie  _now_. After stepping through the front door, K hung up her keys and made her way into the kitchen where the two of them were going back and forth. She watched them for a long moment as she cracked open a bottle of beer and quietly slid it to Thor, then did the same with Tony - and neither of them did more than glance down at it before they took it as K opened one for herself as well. But it was pretty clear which way the conversation was headed.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying it, but Tony's right," K said, which got a pointed "Ha!" from Tony. K rolled her eyes at him and slipped onto the barstool at the kitchen island. "We have to get the intel first. It's the only way I'm going to get a whiff of whatever the hell it is out there." she shrugged as she looked up at Thor. "Sorry, but we have nothing to go on without it, or I'd be with you on this one."

"Think nothing of it. I'm simply looking for a good fight, and hoped that this creature would give it," Thor said with a smirk. He raised the beer her direction then drained it quickly. "If we are to continue this as a drinking session, please tell me you have something stronger."

"Yeah. When we get back though," K said. "I don't want you getting wasted and letting Tony take advantage."

While Thor burst out laughing, Tony gave her a dry look and took his beer into the living room. "We shouldn't be drinking on the job, strictly speaking.

"Then don't," K said. "We can get going as soon as you're ready."

Within the hour, the trio had found their way into the remote outpost that SHIELD had set up only to find that it was utterly trashed. The outpost tents were destroyed, all their equipment was shredded and the scent of old blood was heavy in the air. Tony got to work trying to salvage what he could of their gathered intel while Thor and K began to look into what it might be that had done that kind of damage. The trees around the research site bore five slashes on them ten feet off the ground or more with a solid four inches between each slash. As K held her hand up to one of the slashes that was lower to the ground, Thor began to hypothesize what it was that was lurking in the deep dark forest around them.

"You are  _sure_ there are no dragons in this realm?" Thor said, examining the slashes K was looking at and frowning deeply.

"No dragons that I've ever heard of," K replied, kneeling at a broken branch and picking up a tuft of long white hair. She held it to the light, examining it as best she could before gingerly bringing it nearer her nose. "Woah. Yeah, that's not anything local either." Her head was reeling at the strong wet, musty, and heavily musky smell the fur held. Whatever it was - it wasn't Sabretooth either. As she frowned at it, Tony came up behind her to hold an empty vial over her shoulder.

.

"Drop it in this. If you don't know what it is and this is your usual turf, there's no telling what it is," Tony said seriously. When K looked up at him, she was pleasantly surprised at how  _well_ he did 'business' when it was necessary. She turned to face him and had no trouble ridding herself of the long white hair, though unfortunately for her, the stench clung to her fingers where she'd touched it. For a moment after she realized it, she held her hand out away from herself as if it were dripping something disgusting. She didn't want to try and rub her hand on her jeans to get rid of the stink. That smell would bug the hell out of her  _all night_ if she did.

Thankfully, Stark had already gathered up the information he needed, so while he got started flagging the site for SHIELD to come in and clear it out, K started down a trail. The stench of the beast was far too easy to follow, and though she detested the smell, it was hard to ignore the drive that needed to know what  _made_ it. She was nearly out of sight when Thor called out to her. "Are we hunting them?" Thor called, though that was quickly answered by Tony.

"NO, no we are not. Not without my armor. Come on, sweetie - we have intel to sift through, you and I," Tony called.

"Yes, dear," K said half under her breath. With a lingering stare down the trail that was almost hard to break away from, finally she simply turned back around and started back to them. She looked over her shoulder as she walked over the flatter parts of the trail, but nothing appeared behind her.  _There will be time to track later_ , she decided.

As she got up to her two companions, the rumble of a distant thunderstorm echoed the woods. "Are you  _sure_ you don't want to track now?" Thor said, smiling up at the clouds.

"Listen big man, I swear to all that is holy, if you're screwing with the weather to try and push this before we go through our data-" Tony started up - already arguing before they could leave the site. "- dye your hair hot pink. I swear."

"You could not force that on me," Thor laughed - a booming sound that rang through the trees with joy.

"You sleep like the dead. I don't have to force it," Tony shot back, but that seemed to get Thor to think twice and that, if nothing else had pulled K from her thoughts and prompted her to dart back to where the two men were walking out.

"Hey, genius," K called out, started down a different trail than the two of them had. "You're going the wrong way." She gave him an expectant look and tipped her head. " _This_ is the trail out. That one will take you to the river."

Tony frowned and looked down the trail he was on, turned around to look at the site, then did a slow spin as e looked around them. "You sure?"

"Well, if I'm lying then I'm probably leading you off into the deepest, darkest section of the woods to do unspeakable things."

"Are they  _fun_ things?"

"Everything I do is a fun thing, Tony. Come on," she shot back. "Besides, you gonna argue with the nose?"

"Not what I was thinking about, but when you put it like that …."

* * *

The storm never made landfall, but the show out over Lake Superior was intensely beautiful. K watched through the trees as lighting danced over the surface of the water while the men were playing poker. She'd started out playing with them, but when she realized how badly they both were cheating, she threw her hands up and left the table.

"Come on, K – if you don't want to bet cash, we'll accept clothes!" Tony cackled. "In fact, if I'm being honest I don't  _need_ the money."

"Tony, if this is your way of saying you're looking for ladies' underthings, I can just buy some for you. I doubt you'd fit into them anyhow."

"Is that your long way of saying I can't get into your panties?"

K buried her face in her hands and tipped her head back as far as she could. "Yes. Yes,  _that's_ what I'm telling you. Oh my  _God_ are you like this with everyone?"

"No, he's not," Thor said with a smirk. "You're the only one that's mastered turning him down with such teasing and joking about."

"What are you talking about, she's the only one that's mastered turning me down at all," Tony said, though by the way he was grinning at her, K took it as an affectionate gesture.

She pushed back from the table and snatched a beer from the fridge before she walked back past them - pausing only to run her hand the wrong way through Tony's hair on her way outside where she started up a fire in the firepit. She settled back into her deck chair once the fire was going good though when she ran out of beer, she was forced to make her way back inside where she found the two of them arguing over another bad hand.

"OK – you didn't play, you tell him how it works– I busted him cheating and my hand was  _still_ better, I win. Tell him," Tony said.

And that that was the moment K could see that the two of them were getting far too serious. She cracked open another beer, tossed the cap into the trash, then wordlessly turned around and pulled the rest of her six pack out before heading back toward the deck. "You both need to forfeit since you cheated too, Tony. Hang up the damn cards, shut the hell up and come outside with me," K suggested just before she slipped outside.

It was another twenty minutes before they took her up on her suggestion, though both were still a little sore from their argument as they came outside. K shushed them, which, of course they ignored until K whipped an empty bottle between the two of them. It flew right by their noses, and both took a step back as K shushed them again. Tony gave her a dirty look as Thor grinned and the two men quietly took their seats around the fire as K sat on the edge of her chair, listening intently. When Tony opened his mouth again, she reached over to him and covered his mouth with one hand as she she raised her other hand and closed her eyes to listen hard. It was hard to concentrate when she could  _feel_ Tony smiling against her palm, but she knew the instant she took her hand away, he'd speak.

The two Avengers watched her carefully until her mouth tightened into a thin line and she shook her head slowly. "Something's out there. I can hear it. The wind's the wrong way for me to smell it though. Do you wanna go look for it?" she asked, looking across the fire at Thor with a twinkle of pure trouble in her eyes.

Tony took a hold of her wrist and leaned back, shifting his grip to hold her hand and draw her attention from Thor since he was already convinced that was a terrible idea. "In the dark? Yeah, that doesn't seem like a horrible idea at all," Tony said sarcastically. "We have next to nothing on intel on whatever it is, my tech isn't giving me clear readings  _even on little stuff_  and you want to go poke it with a stick in the dark? Is that right?" Tony said.

"It  _is_  what we came here for," K pointed out then tipped back her last beer bottle. "Whatsamatter? Not as good at hide and seek in the dark, Tony?"

Tony's whole expression changed, and it was clear he had a great line on deck, but Thor cut him off. "Though I came for a fight, the mission is to simply discover what happened to the last group and gather information, yes?" Thor said, surprising both of them. "Though I am not familiar with this place, I will gladly rain down lightning should we need it."

"Yeah, no," Tony said. "Civilians live out here. Don't go burning down the forest." But as Tony spoke, K had frozen mid-drink. The bottle was still at her lips as she froze, listening hard again to the sound of crunching leaves underfoot - only it was  _under foot_. There were no pads on the feet of whatever was out there, and it sounded much bigger than any human she'd ever met.

"You're right again, Tony," K said, almost too quietly for the men to catch. "The forest is too dry to deal with a Thor-stye thunder battle and there are a lot of people in the general area. We better go in. Whatever it is is circling the property."


	23. Recon ONLY

By the next evening, Tony's computers had finished their analysis of everything he'd gathered from the SHIELD site. They'd all held their breath waiting for something to work with to come in - so of course, nothing was conclusive. Amazingly, Fury had actually checked in on them partway through, wanting a sitrep on their progress, telling them they'd be wise to not hunt it after dark until they knew what they had on their of course got the most concentrated "told you so" look from Tony that K could ever have imagined. And she was quickly getting tired of Fury's out of character approach. He was hells bells when it was normal agents and operatives out there getting shredded, and she couldn't figure out why he was holding back on the super-powered ones, unless he was handling her with kid gloves? It was plain to see that they really hadn't expected this to be anything but a fluff mission even if they'd assigned her with two of the heaviest hitting team members. The more she thought on it, the more irritated she got. As soon as the communicae with Fury ended, she slipped on a hoodie and an orange hat, and headed out the door.

"Hey! No hunting sweetheart," Tony called out.

"That's funny, puddin' pop – I was  _sure_ it was no hunting  _after dark_. I still got a few hours. Follow if you want, but I'm headed out," K called back before she blew him a kiss and shut the door behind her. She heard him swear, but she was quick as she slipped into the woods. She'd made it halfway around the little lake behind her cabin when the sound of his armor coming together echoed out from the house. But she honestly didn't give a damn at this point if he followed. Yes, she was in her home, but it was exhausting dealing with all the mock flirting 24 hours a day - and it was 24 hours a day. She didn't know if Tony was going to come in to wake her up for some insanity or not - especially since he'd accidentally woken her up the first night there. It was a hell of a thing to explain how the wolves acted around her house when she just wanted to sleep after the drive.

She heard Tony overhead and behind her, but kept going until she caught the scent, and as she'd figured, whatever it had been outside of the house the night before had circled the property. She found where it went deeper into the woods and followed the trail at a brisk pace, and Tony surprised her when he didn't swoop right in like the joy-kill she'd thought he was going to be, so K simply kept  _going_.

It was nearly dark when the scent began to get thick. Whatever it was had bedded down there- deep in the heart of the cedar swamp where the moss was thick and soft, and the dead ferns were tall even as they were dried up and curled over. K stood at the edge of the bedding area, a chill running down her spine as she watched the area around her, looking for any signs of life. It was unnaturally still – not even birds or squirrels were making any noise here. She slowly backed up a few yards before she turned to head back. A few quick steps later, K was at a dead run. She looked over her shoulder occasionally, feeling as if some _thing_  was watching her. She wasn't too far down the trail when Tony touched down far enough in front of her to keep her from running into him.

"Grab on, honey, we gotta get back.  _Now,_ " Tony said, and for a second she was ready to tell him off - until she heard the unnatural growl echoing around her. She turned on the spot to find the source, ready to let her claws fly when Tony let out a huff and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tight just before he took off.

K couldn't help but bend halfway over his arm as she looked for the source of the growl - even as he was trying to get her  _away_ from it. Her breath caught when she saw a flash of white fur - and then the fight started. "Hey! We found the damn thing – put me down,  _it's right there!_ " K shouted as she wiggled and pushed against his armor, but unless she was willing to cut him - and she wasn't - she wasn't getting away from him.

"No can do, sweetie," Tony said. "That thing didn't show up on the scanners until it was nearly on top of you - which my scanners are still fritzing, thanks for asking. Besides, you have a date with those witnesses in less than an hour – no way you can do that after going a few rounds with the big ugly thing I saw. I'll show you the heat signature when we get back, but  _you_  aren't supposed to engage. It's just recon, remember?"

K sighed and shifted a little so she could hold onto him and maybe free up his arm- though Tony wasn't about to trust that she wouldn't just … drop and go after it again. "Yeah, I know," she said in a breath.

"You know, if you want, while you're talking to the locals, Thor and I could-"

K twisted so she was looking him squarely in the face - mask not considered - "Do  _not_ go out there without me."

"You sound like you might be worried for my well being," Tony teased, the smile evident in his voice.

K bit her lip and smirked at that. "Oh yes. So very worried. This is my turf. That  _thing_ out there isn't going to be scooped up by a couple pretty boys."

Tony was quiet for all of a few seconds. "There you go again, talking about my looks …"

* * *

The time had come for the meeting with Bill and the other locals at the sand pit, and K was regretting her concession to bring her two babysitters along. They were oil and water, and far, far too much testosterone to be in such an enclosed space. But they were both pretty, and they both had  _sound_ arguments on how to move forward.

"Listen, you both don't need to go with me for this. One handsome bodyguard should be more than enough to babysit me," K said, though as she passed the two of them, she squeezed Thor's arm.

"Yeah right," Tony replied,frowning at her as she passed. "I don't think it's a smart move to send the little Swede off with the Norse God without a chaperone."

"Oh, and you think I should go off alone with  _you_ instead?" K asked.

"Well … out of the two options-"

"Tony, no."

"Tony, yes," he said, turning to Thor. "I'll go with. You stay here, hold down the fort. Maybe figure out where she's keeping the really good booze. Besides, you talk too funny to pass off as human when you interact with people."

"Do I sound that strangely, to your ears  _still_?" Thor asked, looking incredulous.

Tony didn't hesitate to simply start nodding and K felt compelled to step between the two of them before the back and forth got started  _again_.

"Alright, both of you, or neither of you can go, I really don't care. Just – stop the sniping. You're driving me nuts with whatever this is," K said, one hand on each of them. She looked up at Thor and waited for him to let out a breath before she turned to Tony and stuck a finger in his face. "Stop it. There's nothing wrong with how he talks."

Tony's jaw dropped as Thor smiled wider. "You can't be serious," Tony said as K stalked off to her room, closing the door behind her. She wasn't in her room more than two minutes before Tony was knocked on the door and let himself in. "I didn't catch you indecent did I?" he asked with a grin, though his smile faded when he realized she wasn't playing along.

"What do you need brown eyes?" K asked from where she was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Just reminding you  _again_  that you aren't supposed to go after this thing. Recon only. Leave the heavy hitting to us. Please."

"Is that from you, Fury, or Logan?"

Tony drew in a deep breath and held it for a long moment. "Yes," he replied as he leaned in the door frame watched her turn onto her side to face him. "You saw it on the monitors. It's got to be over ten feet tall. If you haven't added that up, that's twice your height, short stack. Out of the three of us, if anyone is gonna go head to head with it, you know it's going to be Thor." He paused and tipped his head as K propped her head up with her arm. "Or … might be me. You know. Armor."

"You think I can't do it?"

"I think that there was a reason that Fury picked who he did to come here, and if he put the two of us in the mix, you can bet he wanted to keep you  _safe._ "

K bit her lip at that and thought it all over. "So … with all your big-bad tech and weapons, what do we need Thor for?"

Tony didn't smile back at her - and clearly wasn't joking around. "I think because that's Asgardian level  _mess_."

* * *

When K pulled up to the sand pit, she was surprised to see at little over a dozen trucks there. She frowned when she saw them - especially since she recognized only about half of them, though once she started seeing faces, there wasn't a stranger in the crowd to her. She looked at her two babysitters as she slowed the SUV to a halt.

"Be the strong, silent type, got it?" K directed to Thor, though he looked offended at her suggestion. "And you," she said, turning to Tony. "No showboating, ya get me?"

Tony nodded with a smirk. "Are you afraid we'll embarrass you in front of your friends?"

"Honey, they could tell stories, but they're my friends, so they won't." She turned off the ignition and slipped out of the vehicle, quickly flanked by the two Avengers. In the low light, none of her old friends and bar buddies recognized them – at least not right away. Before they could get too far into it, one of the men in the group rushed forward and picked her up in a bear hug.

"Jeez, K – we thought you were gone for good – goin' on the run was bad enough but to come back married without lettin' us give him a hard time first?  _Ya traitor_ ," the grizzled blonde said.

K laughed in response, and gave him a little pat on the back before he released her. "Hi, Tom. Guess it's been a stretch." When she was on her feet, she straightened out the hem of her shirt then smiled at the gathered men. "I need to know if you fellas have seen anything weird out here. Well, weirder than  _normal_."

Tom's face fell as he took a step or two back. "Well, sure. But – who are these fellas with ya? You kow we don't trust no government types," Tom said.

"We aren't with the government," Tony cut in, and the moment he'd opened his mouth, recognition lit up on their faces one by one. "We're with the Avengers."

"Way to keep it low key," K said over her shoulder, rolling her eyes as she turned to look at Tom, but Tony shrugged, unconcerned.

"This is serious then, eh?" Bill asked, hands on his hips.

Tony nodded in response, automatically stepping forward to try and answer some questions - and get his answers. "We wouldn't be here for a Bigfoot sighting."

"We know this isn't nothin' like  _that_. Been all kinds of livestock and even a handful of hunters disappearin' as of late," one of the guys from the back of the group offered.

"Strange sounds in the woods," another added.

"Joe swore he saw some kind of monster when he was setting' up his stand – only problem is he won't tell no one where it is. Says the buck he's after is out there and he's not letting anyone see it."

"What kind of monster?" Tony asked.

Bill shrugged, looking totally unconcerned. "Big, hairy – teeth and claws and all that. Shreddin' everything around it. Indians haven't been hunting much this year either. They probably got an idea of what it is."

Another of the guys piped up from the other side of Bill. "K, honey, what the hell are you doin' out here with these guys? Healin' quick or not, a nice girl like you shouldn't be messing with monsters."

"Neither should you, but here we are," K shot right back, and the group at large was split down the middle between smiles and serious expressions. But it was enough to get the words flowing.

As the stories began to flow, it all fell into place for Tony as he put together the pieces of the puzzle. Between the eyewitness accounts, the damaged data he'd retrieved, and the massive heat signature he got when he pulled K from the swamp, he had it, and he couldn't control it when 'oh crap' slipped out. K turned his way, because of course she'd caught it. "She's with us - trust me, she's fine," Tony said as he put his arm around K's shoulders and pulled her closer so he could speak quietly to her. "Oh, hey - I know what this is." He raised his voice for the others to hear easily. "Hey, fellas -don't go out after dark. I'm not kidding, I figured it out," he said to a tall lanky man standing behind Bill that was looking at him as if he was nuts. "I know what this is, and it is really nasty." As the men began to murmur, Tony leaned down to whisper in K's ear. "We need to call your hubby in. He knows the right people for this one."

K frowned and turned, finding him  _very_ close. "What the hell did you need me for then?"

Tony shook his head as he pulled her around by both shoulders so she was sure to get her full attention as he faced her. "This is not an insult to you, trust me. Kid gloves off, we need Logan to call in some of his  _old_  teammates. The Hudsons …. Alpha Flight.  _That_  group," he said before pulling her into a hug so he could leaning in very close to whisper to her "I think they have Wendigo troubles, and Logan will kick my ass if you go after it. The Hudsons probably won't do it for  _you_ either, so we're going to need him too."

K pulled back from him slightly, and studied his face, but found no lies or deception at all before she simply nodded. "If you're sure."

"Super sure." He let her out of the little hug - that had fooled no one since they could see him talking - and he pulled out his cell.

A few quick strokes and Tony had already pulled up Logan's contact and he turned with the phone to make the call himself. As K stepped back, walking away from the crowd for a touch of privacy,she watched Tony's body language. He was worried. A lot. She turned to the men that had gathered to tell their tales, and listened as they went into detail. She'd never heard of a wendigo outside of the stories she heard as a kid, and she sure wasn't going to say anything to these guys about it. Still, she wanted to be  _sure_ if she was going to pester Logan. She didn't even know if he'd gotten back from South America, after all.

Then, as the stories were flowing more freely and Thor was engaging with the group, Joe pulled up late to the party. He jumped out of his truck with a laptop - all powered up and with something pulled up on the screen. He waved awkwardly to the group as he set up on the hood of the SUV. "I remembered I had a way to show you the monster." He stopped and smiled down at her. "Hi, K. Sorry I'm late – but I had to get in there and get my trail camera the other day – here. I got the sucker on camera," Joe said with a grin, though he was pale and clearly nervous as he opened up the files. The first dozen or so showed the usual trail camera fodder. Raccoons, little deer, a few bears …. then something definitely  _odd_. Tall, hairy and pale, long limbs and a face that walked out of a Stephen King book. Drool dripped from its elongated canines as it stared toward the lens, clearly infuriated. It had to be every bit of twelve feet tall. Tony looked over her shoulder, cell phone still at his ear.

"Yeah, Logan – I'm sure. They got it on camera. No. No I didn't … _no_. I told her to  _wait_. She hasn't... Damnit Logan, I said no, didn't I? No. We haven't done anyth.. " Tony let out a growl of frustration as the heat in his voice peaked. "You know what? Here – damnit, I'm not your secretary. You tell her yourself." With that, Tony slapped the phone into K's hand and stepped back. He was angry enough that he hadn't thought to keep in the light of the headlights, and as he stepped into the shadows, she could see the blue light shining through his white tee shirt.

K waited just a moment before she lifted the phone to her ear. "Yes, love?" K said sweetly as Logan began warning her to "... keep your ass in the cottage until I get there." He continued on in what sounded like a mixture of panic and concern as he told her that he was on the way. Though K had to make something clear.

"As long as it doesn't show up on my porch, I'll wait for you," K promised before she sent him her love and hung up the phone while he continued to shout on the other end. There was no reasoning with hm when he was like that anyhow. K turned to face the wide eyed men around her. Taking a deep breath, she waved Tony back and handed him his phone as she leaned against the bumper of the SUV.

"I may have ticked my beloved off a bit," she half whispered to Tony before turning to the men still waiting to hear more. "So. Apparently, that's a  _wendigo_  as my Canadian sweetheart tells me, and shooting it doesn't do any good for anyone pulling the trigger - or anyone near by– so don't try it. You'll just piss it off. My husband is calling in the right people. He has experience with one of these and knows how to handle it. He advises everyone concerned to stay in after dark and keep out of the woods for a few days," K said before shrugging up both shoulders since they were all currently going flatly against both of those directions. "Oops. But really. It's for your own safety." Before one of them could say anything to argue, K held her hand up to tell them to wait. "I know deer season is on, so here's the deal. Stay in for a few days, stay safe, and if you'd like I'll stick around long enough to track for you. Scout's honor. Or whatever … passes for that. Wasn't a scout." After making her offer, she took the time to look at all of them in turn. But that part of the offer seemed to turn the tables a bit. The group as a whole quietly agreed, and they all went their separate ways, with K and the two Avengers quiet on the way back to the cottage.

"I'll let Fury know what the problem is. I'll wager a guess that his operatives are dead then," Tony said, looking grim. "Maybe Thor can just leave. I don't think lightning will help our operation here,"

K turned to look at him a moment. "If that's the case, you can probably go too. I'm sure Logan and Shaman can do it without you," she replied, though that got him bristling.

"No, I need to keep an eye on you. Make sure you don't wander off in the woods."

"I'll stay for the fight, Stark," Thor added, still jockeying for a good brawl, and irritating Tony sounded like fun.

When they got to the cottage, the three of them made their way inside, and K finally showed them where the hidden liquor cabinet was - giving them full access as she made herself more comfortable. Of course, Tony took it as a cue to try to get her drunk. Though that was never going to work out in his favor

* * *

It was nearly three in the morning when K woke up. After a few hours of the two Avengers shoving vodka at her, she'd left them to their trouble making and simply went to bed. She sat up in the dark, unsure of what it was that woke her. She opened the door to her room finding the living room empty and the fire crackling low in the wood burner. She padded over to it, threw in another couple of logs and looked around the room.

Something was very off.

She strained her ears trying to figure it out when it suddenly hit her. The familiar low rumble and creak was missing. The water wheel wasn't turning. She quietly headed to the front door and slipped on her shoes as the fire crackled and popped.

"You're not going outside are you?" Stark asked, startling her.

She stared at him wide eyed, one hand over her heart. "Holy crap, Tony. How the hell did you sneak up on me?" she asked, pulling Logan's flannel a little tighter around her and stepping back from the door.

"I was standing here when you threw the log in. You're not going out there are you?" he repeated as he made his way over to the couch and sat on the back of it.

"I thought I'd take a look at why the wheel stopped."

"Don't even  _think_ about it. My perimeter alarms have been pinging for an hour and I've been watching the monitor. Something is testing our boundaries, but I can't find it. Besides," Tony replied. "Logan will kick both our asses if you go out there right now. He was very clear about waiting."

"That really doesn't scare me, Tony," K said, turning back to the door.

"It should. Blow this one and you can bet you'll never leave the house without a chaperone again."

"You're exaggerating."

"No, I don't think I am" he said, crossing his arms. "He's completely done taking risks with your well being. He's no fun when he thinks you might die on him. That last little trip with Magneto … he was ready to quit  _all_ the teams."

K frowned as she pulled the flannel around her a little better, then took a few steps toward him, arms crossed over her chest.

"Come on, Tony. He loves what he does. You don't expect me to believe -"

"Yes I do. You didn't see him.  _I did._  Just get back in bed. I'll keep watch." She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off before she could start. "I mean it. Bed. Now. Logan will be here before you know it. Cut the man some slack and be waiting for him – unharmed and asleep, and god help me for saying it, but I'd want my girl naked if she knew I was coming."

She narrowed her eyes and took the dozen or so steps to him just to poke him in the chest. "You care about him," K said, though Tony scoffed.

"I care about being held responsible for a woman whose husband has a legendary temper and unbreakable knives in his arms, so shut up and go to sleep."

She studied him for a moment and when she realized he really wasn't trying to give her a hard line approach – and actually looked sincere – she nodded her head and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Tony. Sweet dreams."

"I'll keep watch until the alarms quit pinging. If something goes wrong, I'll let you know," he promised as she waved over her shoulder at him, reluctantly going to lay down. She waited there, in bed until she was sure he was asleep before heading toward the front door again.

She slipped out silently, wrapping Logan's flannel shirt around her tightly as she snuck around the corner of the house, cautiously peeking around the corner before taking a silent step. The creek was rushing around the wheel, over flowing around the stone walls that held it. In the bright moonlight she saw the problem plain as day – a branch was jammed through the spokes of the wheel against the stone walls keeping it from turning. It wasn't broken at all. She wrinkled her brow, realizing someone would have had to have done it purposely. Her heart raced as she took an instinctual step backwards, fully aware that Logan had some major concerns in the back of his head about Creed creeping around – and here she was in little more than her underwear and a flannel shirt, barefoot.

She had just made her mind up to turn around and slip back into the house when she heard a noise in the woods off to the right behind her. The wind was still and she couldn't scent it, so instead she gingerly began to back toward the front door. She was nearly there when the little deer stepped out of the brush and K let out all her breath in a woosh.

 _Damnit,_ she thought to herself.  _I've been in civilization too damn long if I'm letting a deer spook me._ She straightened up and relaxed before stepping back into the house and wiping her feet. She wanted to go poking around still, but looking at the clock, she knew she'd have to listen to more bitching if she did. If she wanted to greet her husband without a lot of angry growling goings on, she'd have to behave a  _tiny_ bit longer. She thought of what could be a very fun hello and slipped into bed, where it took a good while to start to drift off.

About the time she had really fallen asleep, K was startled as the mattress sunk behind her, someone's cold, heavy hand slipped from her hip up her shirt as he settled in behind her.

Groggy, and very quickly awakened by the cold touch, K reacted without thinking. She didn't give a warning before she hauled off and jammed her elbow back, catching the guy just under the rib cage. He grunted as she whipped her head around, immediately regretting her action when she saw Logan's face, breathless from the quick shot, even as he slipped his hand back across her belly, and pulled her close. Logan was chuckling to himself while she whispered out apologies for elbowing him and slipped her hands into the hair on the sides of his head, kissing him all over as she tried to make up for it.

"It's fine, darlin'," Logan said as she peppered him with kisses that he was not inclined to stop. "I shouldn't have tried to sneak in without wakin' ya."

And though he didn't say it, he was pleased she'd reacted how she did, considering. Aside from showing him that she was on guard, her apologizing as she kissed him was a rare and golden thing that he wasted no time taking advantage of.


	24. A Hitch In Hunting Season

"When did you get here?" Tony asked as he made his way to the coffee pot. He couldn't help but frown at the two ferals curled up together on the couch in an advanced state of 'hello'.

"Few hours ago. Thought you had security running," Logan replied without looking his way.

But that only had Tony looking more troubled. "I do or I  _did_  – so how did you get past it?"

Logan shrugged, but it was pretty clear his focus wasn't on Tony or anything else outside of his wife. "Damned if I know what's wrong with your tech. I didn't even try to be sneaky when I came in. Thought for sure an alarm would've gone off as I circled around the damn place."

"I hate all the interference around this whole area," Tony grumbled. "No offense, sweetheart, it's gorgeous, but it's screwing with everything that's not on the suit and several of the sensors on board, too." He looked around the cottage, noting that there was neither Asgardian level snoring - or the man it usually came from. "Where's Thor?"

"He already left," Logan said, though Tony was still frowning at the fact that K still hadn't said a peep, entirely wrapped up in her husband. Which … he got, it was just … he  _liked_ the sass. "He decided to go scouting ahead after he yanked the log out of the water wheel."

"Apparently I wasn't the only one bugged by the change in ambient sounds," K said, obviously prepared to just … curl in and stay where she was. But … .

"Alright. Enough screwin' around. Shaman will be here soon, so go get changed, darlin'," Logan said, slapping her thigh just above the knee as he made it clear it was time to get ready to get to work.

"Wait, she's not supposed to do anything but recon," Tony said as Logan pulled K to her feet.

Logan couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah right. You new here, Stark? Have you  _met_  her? She ain't gonna sit and wait for us, and to be honest, I don't know that I won't need an extra set of claws to bleed the bastards out." He looked totally confident in his statements as K bit her lip weighing his words and trying to decide if she  _wanted_ to go.

But Tony clearly didn't like the sound of that plan. "We can do this without her help, I'm sure of it," he said.

" _I'm_ not so sure," Logan said as he gave K a little swat and she quick stepped it into their bedroom. "There's two of 'em out there, and much as it might bruise your ego, you and Thor still don't measure up to the Hulk. Read your files, Stark – first time I ran into one of these things, it took both the Hulk and I to take it down. And that was just  _one._ " He didn't try to hide the crooked smile as he followed K into the bedroom. "Probably gonna take all of us."

The door closed behind him with a resonating click, and K had to smile. It seemed like Logan was finally beginning to make peace with the fact that she seemed to be as durable as he was - though she wasn't stupid enough to think that he wouldn't still want to protect her from everything he could. It was in his nature, after all.

"I can call Banner!" Tony offered, though it took a few moments for Logan to reply when he was properly distracted watching her get into her uniform.

"No," Logan finally called over his shoulder. "Banner may be willing, but I doubt the Hulk will be. Last time we did that little dance, it was out of necessity."

K turned to look at him as he talked, smiling as she watched him get changed too - one good turn, after all. She waited until he was nearly done then made her way over to slip her hands under his shirt as she landed a kiss on his chin.

"Woman," he half growled. "We got  _work_ to do. Gonna be hard enough without having you distractin' me."

K smiled at that- knowing he could block it out if he  _wanted to_. "Have it your way," she said before she gave him a quick kiss and let him finish in peace. By the time the two of them made their way out of the cottage, Shaman was waiting for them with Tony and Thor. They were making their plans, reviewing what they'd learned, and once he joined them, Logan started to tell all of them what to expect.

As they were strategizing, Bill pulled up, shaking his head at the costumed crowd in front of him, even as Logan pulled his gloves on as the truck came to a stop. "I'll be damned," Bill said. "I just come by to let you know that Joe disappeared. His brother said he went to check a camera and didn't come back. His truck is where he left it."

Logan nodded his head and turned to K."You know where to go?" he asked, still not familiar with the area in spite of the amount of time they'd spent there. K nodded as she pulled her hair back. "Well then, lead the way, darlin'," Logan said with a smirk. K smiled back at him then stole a quick kiss before he pulled his cowl down. "Bill, you can stay here if you want, but I think you'd be best off if you went home. K'll give ya a call when we're through here."

Bill nodded and wished them luck as the two ferals slipped off into the woods silently with Shaman hot on their heels and the two remaining Avengers taking flight as they planned to circle around and try to spot the mythical beastie on their own.

K kept a quick pace, following her old trails and sniffing out the pungent scent that hung in the air where the beast had been through. Which gave Logan the chance to watch her work, and he was grinning to himself at how she moved- so similar to his own style, yet with a different fluidity. It took him a bit to realize that she actually  _was_ distracting him, but he really couldn't help it. Instead of sticking strictly to the trail, or even to the scent trail, she'd leave both behind to cut across easier traveling terrain, only to pick it up over the next hill. She was running nearly a straight line through the woods toward where Joe had disappeared, though Logan didn't realize it was a straight line until Tony clued him in from above. They stopped near the swamp when Logan reached out and grabbed her arm. She easily cut their tracking time in half just by knowing where she was headed.

"Hold it. We're in its bedroom," Logan said, taking over the lead position as he stalked through the ferns. K hung back as Shaman caught up, and when he did, he rested his hand on her shoulder as he stood just behind her. It was his way of making sure she knew to stay back and let her husband do his thing - not that she needed the reminder, but she was used to all of his various old teammates acting out of protective urges.

After Logan disappeared into the deep ferns, Shaman cautiously stepped around her, following Logan's general path in an attempt to not lose him while K leaned against a tree wondering if she'd be needed, watching cautiously as the two of them worked. They weren't there for long when Logan called out for a hand. He found Joe – part of his arm was missing, the muscles torn from the bone. He was slashed across his face and chest and blood soaked his clothing. He was barely breathing and deathly pale when Logan called for Tony to get him out for assistance after Shaman tried to cleanse his spirit from any residual effects of his encounter with the wendigo.

"If his body can heal, he will be fine," Shaman said quietly as he sat back on his heels next to Joe. Tony nodded in acknowledgment before he flew Joe out of the swamp. He barely cleared the treetops when an angry roar echoed around them. Logan and Shaman both were at the ready - prepared to do battle with the beast as it burst through the brush on the far side of the swamp. It charged Shaman, but before it could reach him, Logan launched himself at it and in a flash claws and fur flew as they clashed.

The speed of the creature was astounding. The wendigo dwarfed Logan as he tried to evade its claws and snapping jaws, slashing at it as he dodged. Before long, both of them were bleeding badly and by the time Thor jumped in to join them, the moss covered clearing was a disaster. It had been a clear blue sky, so when K heard the first low, rumbling crackle of thunder overhead, she knew exactly what was coming and booked it to find cover.

But even with that, every hair on her body was standing on end as the ozone around them seemed to thicken and K held her breath, sure that she and Logan were in dire straits should Thor actually rain down lightning that  _close_ to them.

She'd barely gotten around a tree when Thor was engulfed in white hot light seconds before channeling lightning at the creature. Logan barely hit the ground before the wendigo was electrocuted, laying flat face down in the torn up peat and moss. But he wasn't thrilled with Thor at all.

"That's still a person, damnit!" he snarled before he got up and rushed over to restrain the creature while Shaman started his work. "It's a curse, not a different species," Logan shouted at Thor, who started over to help hold the wendigo down as Shaman started his spells and prayers to evict the wendigo's spirit from the poor soul it had possessed.

It took both Logan and Thor to restrain the wendigo as he woke up and by how he was screaming, it was apparent that even the magical cure Shaman was working was painful to those that had been transformed.

The wendigo's agonized howls echoed in the trees and rocky outcroppings of the forest around them, the noise in itself painful to the feral's sensitive ears. K had her ears covered as best she was able just as Tony made it back in time to step in and help to hold the wendigo down as the pain levels and thrashing crescendoed. And amid all the noise, not a  _one_ of the heroes heard the growl of it's companion. Not when their focus was so purely on the task at hand. At least until it burst through the clearing, drooling and snarling in its rush for them.

K saw it just as it made it into the swamp and ran at it while its focus was on the wendigo the boys had down. She didn't have time to consider her actions as she jumped up and grabbed a low hanging branch, using it to launch herself at the beast. She slammed into it just as it looked up at her. The wendigo didn't have any time to react until after K had cut it solidly.

The second beasts' pained howl caused the men holding the first one to look up toward the sound as K tried to hold it back from them. At the very least she was distracting it from its goal.

"Can you two hold this one?" Logan shouted to the two Avengers, and Tony was quick to shout at him to go, firing up his repulsors to force the creature halfway into the ground to hold it still while Logan let go and rushed to help K. He made it within an arm's length of her just as the beast made contact, flinging her across the swamp with a wet, echoing crack.

Which was all it took for Logan to completely lose his temper. The hit was hard, but the tree cracking and knocking K out cold was the last straw. As K fell into the soft moss, Logan tipped into the red zone.

K missed the start of the second fight fo Logan, but when she woke up, it was to the most vicious snarls she'd ever heard, and they were coming from her husband who seemed to have forgotten his own warning toThor from minutes before about the wendigo being possessed humans. His savagery was  _breathtaking_. Especially considering that he was facing off against a beast easily twice his size or better. As she picked herself up enough to sit upright, she had to admit - he'd certainly let his inner beast out. The other three men were just finishing up with the first wendigo - already half transformed back to a man and most of the fight bled out of him. Shaman was trying hard to focus on the task at hand, unable to not be a little nervous with his back to the action as the battle waged on, but still confident in his old friend's ability to keep it away from him as he worked.

When the beast got a lucky shot at Logan, slicing his belly wide open, Logan hardly missed a step as he sliced the Wendigo's offending arm free from it's body. The beast let loose a fresh howl as K gathered her feet under her and got to Logan before he could chase after the now severely wounded creature as it retreated, breaking brush and howling in pain as it ran into the gathering darkness.

K laid her hand on Logan's shoulder and he turned to her, his face twisted in rage until he saw that it was her. On slowing down, even that much - to release the rage a little, the pain he was feeling finally permeated through his psyche and Logan was more than ready to go down to the ground. But K wouldn't let him just  _fall_ , and instead, she carefully helped to ease him to the soft moss under their feet. He was a bloody mess, but K didn't allow herself to get upset at his condition, instead attempting to fix him up while he tried to get a new handle on the pain.

He took a few deep breaths that did him no good at all until she leaned over him to start patching him up, and as she reached across him, he clasped her hand and held her gaze until she settled in, just looking into his eyes as he used her as his something to anchor to. He hadn't told her, but it was part of a meditation that he did - a means to force your mind to think of something  _other_ than the pain, and it worked beautifully most of the time. Especially when his focus point was a beautiful woman he happened to be in love with.

"Don't chase it, darlin'. Wait for me to heal," Logan rasped out.

"You're gonna get yourself killed, you stubborn ass," K muttered back as she cleaned him up, but that only had him smirking more crookedly at her since out of  _all_ the beautiful women he'd used as an anchor in the past, she was the only one that gave him that much backsass when he was hurt. He watched her when she sat back on her heels, worry etched onto her features as she fussed over him.

"Look whose talkin'," he countered, resting his hand on her hip and urging her to scoot closer to him. "I wasn't the one that got flung across the damn swamp."

"No. You're the one that didn't have the sense to stop when they got gutted," she replied.

A short moment later, Shaman made his way over to them, quick to assess his old friend's wounds as they healed up and put a little magic on him to ensure that he wouldn't pick up the curse after going toe to toe with the spirits. "The spirit of the wendigo is gone from the first one. When you're ready, we'll need to find the other one quickly."

Logan nodded then laid his head back in the moss. As much as he wanted to jump right up, he knew he'd be back down on the ground if he didn't at least let the skin close up properly. "Have Stark fly him outta here," he said gruffly, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes a moment while he waited for his belly to finish stitching itself up. While his eyes were closed, K leaned forward again and kissed his forehead then got up and walked with Tony to the injured man.

He wasn't anyone she'd ever laid eyes on before. The two of them quickly tried to stabilize him before Tony flew him off, half grumbling about being there to play taxi. "Hey. Glory hogs, save a piece of the fight for me," Tony grumbled. "Or don't. Just … call a chopper next time. Good luck. I'll be right back."

K made her way back to Logan who was just then sitting up and cracking his neck, stiffly working his way to standing. "Ready to hunt this thing, sweetheart?" he asked, smirking at her.

But that only had K wondering what he was up to. She smiled warmly then leaned in for a quick kiss and led the charge for the beast, jogging down the trail he left: the blood on the leaves and ground easy to follow. The signs were clear, but the brush got thicker as they went deeper into the woods. It was pitch black by the time K stopped, and a low growl echoed against the rocky outcrop behind them. Without meaning to, they'd inadvertently cornered the wounded beast. Logan quickly stepped in front of K, and Thor was quick to find his way to Logan's side when the snarling rose up again. The echoes around the rocks made it that much harder to pinpoint, though Thor's lightning did help to see it for a second.

"No more lightning, damnit!" Logan growled out, temporarily blinded as the creature made use of the distraction and backhanded him into the rocks. Thor got his chance to go head to head with it finally, and his strikes with Mjolnir's were ringing like a bell as it made contact, though it didn't slow the beast down much. As Logan gathered himself, K shook her head hard, finally adjusted to the low light before she rushed into it, clambering over the Asgardian God and launching herself from his shoulder like massive cat, finally finding a way to release her feral tendencies easier. She sliced into the beast when she made contact, hoping to bleed it out quickly. And with its attention on K, it wasn't much for Thor to grab it's arms and wrench them behind it's back. This creature was quite a bit smaller than the first and though it struggled, it really only took Thor's muscle to subdue it long enough for Shaman to get to work while K went to check on Logan.

"Can't frickin' see straight. Must have been too damn close to the lightning," Logan grumbled as he rubbed his eyes. He  _hated_ healing eyes. It wasn't a whole lot better than being blinded, even if it was short term.

"Does this mean you need me to take care of you?" K teased, leaning in to kiss him as Shaman finished his ceremony. Logan chuckled at her, but took advantage of her offer all the same.

"Yes. Yes you do, smartass," Logan grumbled back, eyes closed as he leaned on the rocky face of the cliff that he'd hit. When the spirit was excised from the second wendigo, the creature shrunk down into a woman. "Well, that's a first," Logan said as they stared at the shredded, bleeding woman at their feet. He felt badly about the thrashing he gave her, knowing she wouldn't likely be able to reattach the arm she'd lost, if he was being honest.

Thor took it on himself to remove the woman from the woods, though he promised to have Tony meet them to discuss how this had come to be. K gingerly took Logan's hand and started to lead him back, though Shaman found his own path back easily, leaving the two of them to play follow the leader in the dark woods.

When they did get back though, Tony was waiting when they returned, martini in hand. "So, these jokers did indeed feast on the flesh of man," Tony informed them. "The guy admitted to it – said they got lost from a hunt and panicked. Their buddy had fallen and they apparently are  _really_ bad hunters. Fury has them on the helicarrier. Said he didn't want them in a civilian hospital. Only thing that gets me is that I didn't think this thing happened outside of Canada."

"There are old stories all around the Great Lakes. I always thought it was just a story though. You know – old style cautionary tale against cannibalism. Like that's a thing that kids need to be warned against. Yuck. I guess this explains why all the northern tribes stories line up so well," K said conversationally as she inspected the remains of her uniform, irritated that now that she'd finally  _gotten_ a uniform that fit her right it was already thoroughly trashed. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but the missing sections were pretty glaring.

And while she got cleaned up, Shaman confirmed K's information and sat down with Tony to handle the requisite debriefing and report filing, though he was in a hurry to get back to his home north of the border. "I'll be sure to tell the tribal elders in the area so they know what happened," Shaman said as he started on the paperwork. And when Shaman was wrapped up in the technical side of things, Logan slipped away to clean up and change too. While he was in the shower, K picked up the phone in their bedroom to call Bill and give them the all clear as she sat on the bed in her towel.

"We can talk about it tomorrow," K said wearily as the call ended. "I'll be around for a little while anyhow." They said their goodbyes as Logan stepped out of the bathroom, obviously having heard plenty of it.

"How long you plannin' on stayin'?" Logan asked before he dropping down on the bed.

"I promised to help them track their deer if they followed your rules and kept out of the woods. I guess Joe doesn't get any help from me this year," K replied as she reached for the stack of clothes she'd set out for herself. "Hopefully the boys will be quick about it."

With a sigh, Logan nodded and made his own phone call, informing Jean that it would take them a bit of time still.

"You don't need to stay with me," K told him, sure to kiss him just behind his ear. "I'm fine here."

But Logan shook his head as he pulled her closer to steal a few kisses, ignoring the fact that she was planning to get dressed. "I told ya. I don't want you here alone. You're just gonna have ta put up with being stuck with  _me_. Alone. In the woods. I just hope you got some ideas for entertainment."

K grinned at him and couldn't help but break into a little laugh as the two of them got involved, though they didn't get too far before a predictable complaint echoed the cottage.

"Hey, lovebirds – are we staying the night?" Tony shouted from the next room over.

"No," Logan shoute back. "You're getting the hell out. Don't give a damn where you go, but ya can't stay here."

"Oh, I see how it is. Thanks for your help, but get out, there's sex to be had," Tony grumbled.

"That is the idea, isn't it, Tony? Go find your fiance and get to it!" K shouted back. "I thought you'd be married by now an out of my hair for this thing.."

"No. Not yet. PR issues and whatnot. No good way to keep it on the down low and she doesn't want a fiasco," Tony replied, which only illustrated to the two of them how  _many_ martinis he must have had before they'd shown up. Logan shook his turned onto his elbow to call out to him.

"Got a quick fix for you, Stark. Just … call Kurt. He'll help ya," Logan said. "Either with a wedding or a funeral - your choice will be entirely dependent on how long it takes you to get the hell out."

"Ah. Right. Noted. I'll get my gear later," Tony said, then armored up and set his AI to take him back to New York. Leaving Logan to snatch off K's towel and pick up again in peace.

* * *

After the fight they'd been through, everyone involved was worn out, but as usual, Logan had taken the brunt of the beating and as soon as K got him to fall asleep, he crashed  _hard_. She wasn't too far behind him, curled in tightly to him, as she drifted off, listening to the creaking of the water wheel now that the branch was cleared. She didn't know how long they were there like that wrapped up and comfortable when she was awakened by a knocking at the front door.

It was surprising in that usually, she'd wake up hearing the vehicle come down the trail. Logan picked up his head, insisting on getting it himself. He had one eye closed as he pulled on his jeans and made his way to the front door, but he wasn't shocked at all when he saw it was Bill.

"You guys aren't still in bed are ya? It's near noon," Bill said, which really wasn't what Logan had expected to hear. Unless he was hurt a lot worse, he rarely slept that late. He turned and checked the clock realizing how worn out he must have been, particularly since he hadn't really rested up at all from the quick mission he had been on when Tony called with questions about the wendigo.

"Well, we were sleepin. Gimme a sec," Logan said, his voice raspy and rough from sleep. He poked his head in the bedroom where K was already pulling on his flannel. "Grab me a shirt when ya come out, sweetheart. Bill wants to talk," Logan told her, turning back to the kitchen to brew up some coffee while the men waited for her to step out.

Bill for once, didn't know what to say to the grumpy man in front of him, who at the moment looked like he'd be perfectly happy to simply go back to bed for a few hours. After seeing him in uniform the afternoon before, he suddenly felt unable to chit chat with him. He'd done some reading on the X-Men since they last met and he had a pretty clear idea of where that sense of danger he always felt around Logan came from now. But Bill started to smile when K stepped out until he saw she was in a similar state of wear when she handed Logan a shirt with a kiss.

"You two alright?" Bill asked, half laughing. He was familiar with Clara's healing process, but it was one that rarely showed seeing as she avoided injury rather carefully.

K nodded as she stole Logan's coffee, yawning widely. "Just peachy keen. Whats up?" she said finally, leaning on the counter next to her husband.

"Well, the guys have already been in the woods. We talked it over, and they don't want ya to track," he told them.

The two ferals looked at each other a moment and it was clear that K was taking it wrong. These were the same guys that wanted to pay her to track before. "I don't understand –" K said quietly.

Bill shook his head. "All they want is to meet the fella that stole you away. You two just be sure to get down to the bar tonight," Bill told them. "They don't know what you do, Logan, and I'm not gonna tell em. I'll go with whatever you say."

Logan nodded slowly, he didn't see any trouble in that, and he could keep her to himself for a few days anyhow before they went back to Westchester. Hell, he was almost looking forward to giving her old friends a chance to try to get him drunk.


	25. Never Give Up

Their trip to the bar was exactly what K had figured it would be. Her old friends were trying  _very_  hard to be welcoming to Logan, though they were still somewhat cautious of him at the same time. Bill had kept to his word, and hadn't busted him out, but it didn't matter. A few of the older men who watched the news all the time recognized him right out of the gate. After all, it wasn't like he worried overly much when he'd lost his cowl God only knows how often. Or the many  _many_ times he flat didn't bother trying to hide who he was.

And once the jig was up, the conversation quickly turned to what Logan did then took a turn, picking on K for 'needing' to find herself a superhero instead of a regular guy. Clearly a few of them were a little bitter at not being given a chance – but that whole line of picking ended quickly when Logan put his foot down. They could pick on  _him_ if they had the stones, but he wasn't going to listen to anyone try to get after her, lighthearted teasing was one thing, but the second he thought it was a hair too far, he wasn't having it.

The two of them stuck around for a while. It gave him the chance to see what kind of crowd she picked for herself - or at least the kind of crowd she and Bill ran with, and the truth of it was that he liked  _most_ of those guys there. It was  _rare_ , he knew, to find a group of guys that were alright with having a woman in their midst when most of the time, the whole point of guys getting together was to get  _away_ from women. Though, he had to wonder if those that were married  _knew_ they were hanging around her when they were at the bar or the hunting camps. Likely not.

When Logan had more than enough of being social, he simply grabbed K's arm and led her out while the festivities continued in the background. It was clear that all those in attendance, outside of the little couple, were feeling no pain. They slipped out of the bar and he helped her into the Jeep to skedaddle on out. But he didn't want to go all the way to the cabin before he got to covering the bar stink on her with his own scent. When he turned the opposite direction of the cottage, she looked at him questioningly, but the smoldering look he gave her in response just kicked her off and she caught on  _quick_ to what he had in mind

"Turn here," she said quietly. His smile widened and he followed her direction, turning down the little half hidden dirt road that he quickly found out led to a little used spot near the big lake. The lake was fairly calm, and the waves were rolling onto shore quietly in the background. He barely got the Jeep parked when she jumped out, already leading him down the rocky beach to a spot that she'd always liked, but never shown anyone. He didn't bother asking where they were, he just took a hold of her, and rushed out to let the chilly October air bite into their skin while they headed out to let out a little wildness.

Hours later they watched the sunrise right there at the lake before taking one more romp and making their way back to the Jeep where K quietly directed him on where to go for coffee. He'd kept her plenty warm throughout the night, but both of them really needed some hot coffee and a few hours curled up in  _bed_ , of all places. When it was all said and done, they didn't take more than another day at the cottage. Although the quick break was nice, they were headed back to reality where their little ones were cheerfully awaiting them.

* * *

The return to Westchester was quiet, unheralded. Of course, they had a debrief waiting for them when they got there - which really just meant that Logan would spend a few hours after Fury left going over the Jeep to see where exactly the bugs were that he'd used to track them.

Fury was pleased with how the little mission had ended, but for the record, he notified the powers that be that K didn't follow orders well, and was as unpredictable as her husband – recommending that she'd need a longer record with the X-Men before he could green light her for Avengers duty. Which got him a little closer to Logan's good side again.

The weeks passed quickly from October to November and before they knew it, Logan was into his old habit of glancing at the calendar.

"Please relax," K said one afternoon, just before she landed a tender kiss on his Adams apple.

"He's gonna make a move on you or the kids. I just know it," he replied. It wasn't even his usual level of anticipation - his tension had been slowly mounting since the mission they ran with Creed.

"And I'm just supposed to play the damsel in distress? Come on, sweetheart. I got your back," she replied easily. "If you're nervous though, we can see if there's a place for us in the house for a while, see how that goes. The kids would be closer to help if they needed it, and we wouldn't have such a target on us if we were already there – no second chance for a sniper."

Logan didn't think too long about it before he nodded. The truth was that he hadn't felt that his little family was safe at all since she'd been shot. It just shouldn't have happened. The fact that it did still made him sick when they walked past the spot where she went down. He thought the uneasiness would fade, but he found himself staring at the spot where it happened every time he walked past it. He couldn't find the words that quite fit what he was thinking, though and every time he tried to it only felt like someone was whispering 'weakness' over his shoulder.

The thought of something like that happening again, or one of the kids catching it was too horrible, and too real. And as for  _Domino_? He still hadn't gotten a chance to let her know where he stood. Domino knew he was pissed off, and frankly she was avoiding him like the plague, which might have been the worst thing she could have done to herself because now, Logan had a slow burn in the back of his mind on how he wanted to make her pay.

K had little to no recollection of the event itself. She knew it happened outside the mansion, but she didn't know where or how it went down. She did know who had done it, and had been planning for a while on going to introduce herself to the woman that shot her. Domino was going to have more than her luck broken when K got a hold of her. She didn't  _care_ that the woman had a past with Logan, or that she was hired for the job. K took it very personal when someone believed lies without checking facts first then turned around to  _shoot her in the eye_  - and K wasn't going to be happy until blood was shed. Maybe even take Domino down a notch and cut her vision in half as a  _lesson._ It was  _truly_ rare for her to get an axe to grind like this, and she could only remember handful of times in her long life that she really had held a grudge, but this was at the top of it.

* * *

Charles breathed a sigh of relief several days after the return from the cottage when K asked him over tea if he thought it would be alright for them to find a place in the mansion. Had he the ability, he would have picked her up and spun her around. Instead, he beckoned her to follow him, leading her down a little used section of the mansion where, at the end of the hall lay what could only be likened to suites that were equivalent to small apartments.

"It wasn't originally built this way, but I had it changed after one of our impromptu remodeling efforts. I believe you can actually thank the Juggernaut for this particular wing, though honestly, I thought it would be Jean and Scott as it's first occupants," Charles told her as she walked around the room in shock. "When the team began to shift - and when they got married so young, I was sure they'd be expanding their family quickly. But … with all the trouble Jean had getting started, I couldn't bear to show her this place and let that hang over her head. She's been through so much getting to where she is now, but with Rachel getting bigger, I'm sure you won't be the only ones down this wing for long."

K had been slowly walking around the room as Charles spoke wondering how she missed this in the years she'd been there.

"No one ever comes down here," Charles said. "I scarcely think that Scott even remembers what's here."

K dropped her shoulders as she approached him, then leaned down to kiss his cheek before wrapping him up in a hug. "You really don't get credit for all that you do, Charles," K told him before giving him another kiss on the cheek. "Of course, this is perfect. I just don't understand why you didn't mention it sooner."

"To be honest, when the two of you were married, you needed the distance to be together, just the two of you, and the boathouse was a much more fitting option, but … this …"

"You really are a wonder, Charles," K said, watching him with a fond smile. "Thank you for this."

She didn't know how to properly wrap her head around it. He'd handed them a way to keep their little ones safe and close, so of course, they began moving into it immediately.

* * *

The little family settled into the new space, and the Summers family had even started their own move to the same wing when the predictable happened. The whole institute had been on high alert and no one argued with Logan when he was insisting that Creed would be making an appearance on or near their designated date.

So when the alarms went off mid afternoon one day in late November - just a few days before Logan's birthday - everyone in the school knew that they were to stay in place as the team neutralized the intruder. Logan and the little ones were in the house when it happened, as was  _most_ of the staff and kids, but K and her class were in the barn getting ready for class. The kids there had just gathered up all their tack and had been chatting with an excited tone since they were going to go on a trail ride … and then the alarm went off. It was a silent one in the barn, but the lights all dimmed and then switched to red - so not to alarm the horses if someone was handling them.

K sighed heavily and told the group to put the tack away, then went to close and lock the doors to the barn, instructing the students to head up into the loft. She'd barely turned her back to the door after locking it when someone bashed into it, startling her. For a moment, K stared at the door with a frown, knowing there were only so many possibilites, and none of them were good. For a moment, she simply took a few steps back and was ready to stand her ground, but then when the intruder bashed the door again, she heard one of the kids in the loft squeak out of fear. She rushed up to the students, all of them upper level, all of them in fairly good control of their abilities as well. K held her hands open as she tried to calm them and they nervously tried to see who or what was attempting to get in with them.

"If anyone outside of the staff tries to come up these steps, blast them into next week,"K said calmly and deadly serious. "I'm headed down to keep him away from you."

"Him?" One of the students said, wide eyed and terrified.

K tipped her head. "Probably, yeah. Him. Just ... " she looked over to the more calm kids. "Keep him safe, would you?"

"On it," several agreed as several more protested the fact that K was leaving them. But she didn't have the luxury of time to argue it, so she simply turned around and descended the stairway to the sound of the barn door cracking as Sabretooth pounded it open.

When K turned the corner at the bottom of the loft steps, it was clear that door wasn't long for this world. Steeling herself and taking a deep breath, she slid her claws out slowly, bracing herself for what was to come. She stood halfway down the alley between stalls watching as the door splintered and cracked. When Creed finally did breach the door, he looked around for a moment before his gaze finally landed on her and the grin stretched out slowly.

"Long time no see, girlie. Ya miss me?" Creed crooned. K shook her head slowly, refusing to blink or look away. "Oh, you just going to try to wait for the cavalry, frail? I can be done here before they shut the system down."

"That's not the kind of thing most guys would  _brag_ about," K replied, unable to let that slide when she knew what his plans always entailed. He snarled at that, but she kept her cool, waiting for him to come to her as he sized her up, confident she could at the least keep him at bay. "You got a real obsession with my husband. You know, that's unnatural for a guy to worry  _that much_  about what another guy does. Do you want to talk about it while we wait for them to scrape you up?"

K  _wasn't_ afraid of him like this. Sure, the quarters were a little tighter than she'd like, but she thought that might help her a bit. A man that size needed room to really do damage right. It wasn't too different than getting kicked by a horse, after all. If you're right there tight to them, they don't get near the momentum out to do you damage, but if they get the full swing in …

But as K squared up with Creed, her focus shifted a bit as she realized the guns were still firing outside. He laughed at the slight change in her expression. "You didn't think I'd come to the party alone, did you?" he chuckled, stalking toward her slowly, his stance going lower as he crept up toward her, readying to spring. But K kept her ground, locking her jaw as she braced herself to launch at him as soon as he made a quick move. Just as he was ready to leap, the barn door on the other end of the aisle was bashed hard.

K jumped, her concentration cracking with the wood of the door as Creed continued to chuckle low, enjoying the expression on her face. He knew he had the upper hand but he gave her the chance to see how much trouble she was in  _first_ as Daken stepped through the door behind her – both of them wanted her to panic before they attacked. They wanted her to know exactly how deeply she was in trouble before what was sure to be quick fight ended.

"K," Daken said evenly. "You know I tried to go easy on you last time. I thought it would be mostly painless to let you freeze to death, but now I guess I'm going to have to make it hurt."

She wasn't sure who to watch. Creed was merciless, reveling in dealing out pain, but Daken was much faster, and just as cruel. In every simulation, she could handle either one of them alone, but for as close as those fights were, she'd never even  _tried_ both together, and to turn her back on either was akin to signing her own death warrant. She knew she was royally screwed. She couldn't help it when a nearly silent  _'fuck'_ slipped past her lips as Daken readied himself to attack.

Creed was too close – much too close to not pay attention to. Daken was closing the gap too. Before she could start to analyze it, Creed lunged when her gaze slid to Daken. She blocked him, only to have him grab her arm and pull her close enough to rip a chunk of her shoulder out with his teeth. She pushed herself away from him with a scream and bumped right into Daken, who stabbed her through the kidneys, dropping her to her knees before she could lunge forward. Both of them were barely giving her enough room for the other to move, let alone letting her have a prayer of fighting back.

K pushed herself up, doing what she could to keep from allowing the hits to be all as heavy as they'd intended, but she was slowly making her way to her feet. These two weren't playing around. Panicking and breathing quick and shallow, she held her wounded side with one hand as she tried to get her bearings, blood poured down her chest where Creed had torn out a piece of her shoulder. She couldn't help but panic when she was so clearly stuck … she hadn't even gotten in a good  _hit_. Her gaze was darting between the two of them and as she tried to find a way to even fight  _back,_ she could hear one of the students upstairs crying.

Daken lunged and slashed at K and instinctively, she tried to move away from him, only to run right into Creed who slashed her from behind. By that time, she was slipping already and her clothes were in tatters. Still, she found the tiny bit of middle ground they were allowing her smack dab between them. "Is this a kidnapping, or a straight up killing? I need to know," K said suddenly, causing both of them to pause for just a moment – and the split second Creed's attack stance weakened the tiniest bit K lunged at him in a desperate shot to get away from them. She dropped down as she got  _far_ too close and slid right between Creed's legs as Daken shouted at him to grab her. Creed only ended up with a handful of hair by the finest of margins when she used her momentum to get on her feet, digging into her run hard as she darted out of the barn, though the two of them were hot on her tail.

Daken passed Creed and was closing on her fast to the sounds of gunfire erupting from the turrets around them. Unfortunately, K hit one of the netting land mines and ended up tangled up  _with_  Daken as he tackled her. But so close together, it was a bit too close for him to do the damage he wanted, so instead, he settled on trying to pin her down and strangle the life out of her. She fought him hard, not letting up the fight even when he got a hold of both of her hands, jockeying himself so he sat on her chest, his weight made it harder to breathe right; her ribcage unable to expand under his weight as he secured her hands beneath his shins.

"You're going with us," he told her as she struggled under him, her breaths coming quick and shallow. "You know how this will end. Quit fighting me and I'll make it easy on you. As a favor to you."

K was shaking from struggling so hard, yet still refused to give him the satisfaction of showing any weakness. As she was bleeding, her vision blurred from the blood between the hits Daken was nailing her with, she made a last ditch effort. She was ready to pass out, and she knew a few more hits would do the trick - so she lifted her head as far forward as she could, and she did the only thing presented to her in the situation. She bit him as hard as she could, catching a bit of anatomy that was very dear to him - and refusing to let go, determined to make her teeth meet. He screamed as he tried to stab her in an attempt to get her off of him - anything to get some space between the two of them, but he too, was hung up on the netting. Daken was in a bad way as a large explosion echoed behind them, flinging Creed past them and into a fresh netting mine that snared him easily as he lay there unconscious. Daken turned his head, expecting to see the X-Men, shocked to find that instead, it was K's class that had snuck down from the hay loft and were trying to figure out a way to hit Daken without hitting K with their combined abilities.

The students looked terrified. And K was struggling for a big enough breath as Daken renewed his efforts, finally getting her to let him go as he tried to smother her, calling her a whole string of horrible things in Japanese that no one understood, but all of them caught the gist of.

"Hit us with all you've got!" K shouted to the students. "NOW!"

And to Daken's shock - they did. Two telepaths reached out with a dose of solid pain toward Daken while the oxygen was sucked from the air around them. Daken's eyes widened in shock as K simply closed hers, waiting for the full attack, well aware that it wasn't over yet. Daken tried to scramble away from her, unable to make any distance from the net, especially with his claws tangled in it as he tried to cut his way free. Air slipped in close to K - the student responsible was terrified of killing his favorite teacher as she lay limp while Daken struggled to breathe above her. He dropped down low when he realized K was breathing shallowly, greedily trying to catch a breath, his face next to hers when suddenly the air returned, only to be followed by a blast of fire, engulfing the both of them. The netting around them burned before a concussive blast knocked them both out and the whole net with both K and Daken inside of it tumbled across the lawn. When they finally came to a stop, Daken was passed out and half crushing her.

K barely heard one of the students stop another from using his electrical abilities, before the students rushed toward the two charred ferals. They only barely beat the X-Men by a fine margin. Logan dropped down next to them and quickly cut the net away while Scott and Hank rushed over with restraints for both Daken and Sabretooth.

When they pulled Daken up, Scott panicked openly - the two of them had been  _so close_ when the fire hit them that there was some shared burns that didn't look like they should have touched and both K and Daken were almost entirely devoid of all hair and most of their skin. K was on top of what was left of her clothes as Scott knelt next to her, waiting for the rest of the team to show with stretchers for them while Logan put the restraints on Daken. Hank and the band of students then escorted Creed to a holding cell and Forge was waiting at the front doors with a scanner.

"K, wake up – can you hear me?" Scott said as K's eyes rolled in her head. "Well, you're alive. There's that, but you sure have seen better days."

K tried to smile at that, coughing as she tried not to laugh. She was already healing, but it would be a little while still before the skin grew back across the burnt flesh.

Scott looked over to Daken, and saw that he too was healing, though not quite to the pace that K had set. Logan made his way to her, not sure where to put his hands as he looked at her burns. When Jean showed up a short while later with a blanket for Logan to wrap K up in, she was healed enough that the burned bits of skin were flaking off and she could almost sit up on her own. Jean rested her hand on K's head as she watched the hair starting to grow already. By the time Jean wrapped another blanket around her shoulders, K looked as if she was sporting a pixie cut.

"Happy Birthday, love," K coughed out as Logan pulled her a little more upright. "Hope you don't mind short hair. May take a while for this to come back."

"If it means you're breathin' I  _love_ it," Logan replied, picking her up in a bridal carry. The students from her class that had remained were in shock watching her and Logan as he gently held her. Her skin, freshly grown back was angry, red, and stretched tightly across her arm as she slipped it behind his shoulder and they started to head toward the house.

Daken was healed enough now to be covered too, but on seeing him awake, Jean simply put him to sleep so he couldn't make a play for Logan again, restrained or not, though Logan saw what had happened and turned toward Jean in silent question.

"You don't need the negativity today, Logan," Jean explained. "Though I'm sure we're all dying to hear what vitriol he's got to spread this time, you can talk to him tomorrow. He won't wake until then – I can promise you. My gift to you today."

* * *

"I'm so sorry, love," K said as Logan guided her into the shower.

"What the blazes for?" he asked, stopping dead in his tracks as he stared at her. As far as he could tell, she had no reason to apologize.

She ran her hand over her short hair and gestured to her still-healing skin. "Among other things? I have to smell  _terrible_ ," she said, especially since the scent of burnt flesh and hair was sticking in her nose, too.

"It'll wash off," Logan said with a smirk, gesturing to the running water.

K smirked at that and hopped in the shower, sure to wash quickly. When she got her towel wrapped around herself, she spent a solid fifteen minutes brushing her teeth with Logan watching her from the door with his arms crossed.

"Somethin' happen out there that I need to kill one of 'em for?" Logan asked, frowning and honestly concerned that something might have gone down that the smoke and charred skin smell covered.

"Mmhmm, K said, nodding before she spit out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth. "I bit him."

"Creed?" Logan asked, his head tipped to the side. He hadn't noticed any bite marks ... K shook her head seriously as K tipped back the bottle of whiskey that he kept on his dresser. "Well how bad could it be?"

K turned her back to him to take another swig, then wiped her mouth and sighing heavily. "I'm pretty sure I bit one of his balls off."

For a long moment, Logan simply stared back at her blankly. It was so far out of what he'd thought could be the trouble, he didn't even know how to respond for a few minutes. "How.." It was all he could manage as she rubbed the bridge of her nose as she hugged herself, her hip cocked to one side.

"I don't know. I really couldn't do anything else and it was right there in my face..." K said, shrugging her shoulders up.

But to her surprise, Logan started to chuckle. "Well – it'll heal or grow back, I guess," he said, smiling at her. "Just promise me you won't do that to me."

"I'm very sure you don't have to worry about that sweetheart," K said with a laugh as he pulled her over to steal a kiss. "Not on your birthday anyhow."


	26. Bastards

Creed and Daken awoke to find themselves housed on opposite ends of the Xavier Institute's lowest level in identical cells, both of them designed to handle someone of their particular abilities. Both were wearing restraints on their hands to prevent them using their claws, muzzles to keep them from biting anyone that got too close, and inhibitors that currently were not turned on that were capable of rendering them unconscious with a non lethal electrical pulse. They had no idea if it was day or night, or what, if anything had happened to them since they'd been detained. Each of them were about to receive a visitor bearing news.

* * *

Daken rolled his eyes and huffed in indignation as his father took a seat across the barrier that held him captive. Logan was mostly relaxed, a stark difference to Daken's tense posture. Logan sighed heavily as he tried to decide how to attempt to reach out to his wayward son one more time.

* * *

K and Creed were at the other end of the spectrum. K was coiled tightly, even behind the barrier while Creed couldn't have been more relaxed.

"Look like a different woman with short hair, frail. Any chance this a conjugal visit?" Creed purred out to K's weary sigh.

"You know damn well that's never going to happen."

"Never say never, girlie," Creed replied. "Seems you said you'd never work with me either, but you sure did a fair enough job when we went after Killebrew." She frowned at him as he smiled. "So, ya couldn't keep away from ol' Creed. What brings you to me today, girl?"

"I just needed a few questions answered," K said honestly.

"Not gonna answer anything if I don't get something in return," he growled out.

"I'm not giving you a damn thing," K scoffed.

"Sure you will. Besides, I only want you to sit in here with me where I can smell ya," he offered, his eyes gleaming.

"No."

"What would it hurt? Can't use my claws to shred ya. Can't bite. Hell, you even got a little button you can drop me with. Do I scare ya that much?"

K could hear the smile in his voice as she wrapped her arms around herself a little tighter and looked towards the exit. She wasn't exactly  _scared,_  but she couldn't believe she was actually considering stepping in there with him.

* * *

"I don't have to listen to a word you say  _Wolverine,_ " Daken growled out.

"It doesn't have to be like this, son," Logan replied. "You could let us help you."

"I don't need your help. You or your little friends. I don't want to be like you."

"I didn't ask you to," Logan said wearily. He figured it was a waste of time to try to talk to him.

"I will destroy everything you hold dear. One way or another," Daken swore again, the threat to his family still standing.

"See, that's the problem. What the hell kind of a life are you tryin' to make for yourself if your only goal is wreckin' mine? What happens if you succeed? What'll you have to live for then?" Logan pointed out. "The family I have now with K doesn't have a damn thing to do with you. Or have you been shadowin' Creed, learnin' how to be the best psychopath you can be?"

"That's the whole problem isn't it. You assume that I'll fail, and in the meantime, you get to try again with another woman – forget that my mother or I ever existed," Daken said bitterly.

"I never forgot. I'd never  _want_  to. You got no idea what the hell you're talkin' about - still just spewin' out the lies you were told. I don't blame you for hatin' me, or wantin' nothing to do with me, but I can't ignore you and try to make it better at the same damn time. Tell me which you want me to do and I'll do it," Logan said heatedly.

Even if he aged slowly, Logan had gotten to the point that he thought Daken was far too old to be acting like a snubbed teenager, who was at that moment acting exactly like an angry teen. No real thought behind his anger and hatred, just clinging to it as if that's all there was.

* * *

"Why do you obsess over him so much?" K asked Creed candidly. "It's like that's all you have." She  _was_  in some way trying to goad him. If he snarled at her and made a play for injuring her, she could leave and not bother wasting her breath or her time with the jackass.

"Told ya, I won't answer anything until you come on in and have a seat, girl," Creed replied, sure that he had her full attention.

"I can't do that."

"No, you don't  _want_  to do that. But you  _will do it_  or you're wasting your breath," he said with a finality before turning his back on her. "You can tell Chuckles that I won't talk to anyone else either. I'll just bide my time until I see a chance to break loose."

Charles had told K before she'd gone in that she needed to find the answers that Logan couldn't  _remember_  anymore, or the ones he never knew to begin with. And as she glared at Creed, Charles' voice echoed in her head  _Do what it takes,_  he projected to her.  _I'll be listening. Don't worry. Hank is on alert._

K looked to the exit and saw her blue furred friend looking at her grimly and nodding, though it was clear Hank didn't like it one bit either.

Creed smiled to himself as he heard her punching in her code. "Surprised ol' Chuckles told you to do it," Creed said just before the barrier opened and K stepped inside - though the barrier closed quickly behind her. He turned to face her, enjoying the fact that despite her  _looking_  calm, her heart was pounding and her scent was laced with fear. She wouldn't be able to get out now without someone opening the door. He had a captive audience.

"Please answer my question now, Victor," K said clearly and evenly, concentrating hard on keeping the shake out of her voice.

He took a seat on the chair, gesturing to the cot nearby, clearly not willing to speak until she sat down with him. And nervously, she did as he asked, finding herself easily within arms reach of him. "It's his fault, ya know. I was cheated out o' what should have been a good life. He took it from me," he said in a soft sort of rumble that K hadn't really heard from him before. "So I made it a point to be sure he never gets that chance for himself."

Her eyebrows went up as she realized what he was alluding to. "So this is all over a  _woman_ ," K said slowly.

Creed sneered and glared at her."The details are none of your damn business."

"Uh, yes it is. You want to kill me because of some woman you lost. That makes it my business," K said. She knew she'd hit a raw nerve already but she had no interest in playing soft ball to spare Victor Creed's  _feelings._

"Don't you think if I wanted to kill ya, I'd have done it already?" he spit out.

She had no idea how to respond to him. She'd thought the whole point of his beating on her was because he planned to do her in. The room was silent, save for Creeds growl as she tried to decipher what the hell she could even  _say_  to him. .

* * *

Logan was getting  _nowhere_  with Daken. It was dizzying the way the conversation always came back to the beginning – no progress to be made no matter what Logan tried just because Daken was holding on to his bitterness like a lifeline. Finally Logan simply shook his head and abandoned his attempt.

"You want to talk to me, let someone know. I'll be here in a heartbeat. You wanna talk to someone that can  _help_  you and leave me out of it? Fine. Do it. But you're not going anywhere until you figure this out, boy. In case you haven't noticed, we're not handing you over to anyone. You're stuck until you quit acting like a spoiled little brat and make a goddamned choice," Logan said finally as he stood and left Daken fuming in the cell.

* * *

Creed had reached a point where he flat refused to answer any more of K's questions, but when she started to stand up, he reached over and put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. She held her breath, unsure of what she needed to do now, other than calling out mentally for Charles to send help.

"You remind me of her," Creed said, looking K in the eyes.

The panic that had been rising froze her to the spot entirely as she abandoned the idea of leaving, as curiosity overruled common sense for the time being. She opened her mouth to ask a question when he held up a hand to silence her. "You want me to tell ya, then gotta shaddup and listen." He took a deep breath and made a point to move even closer to her, shifting his position onto the cot next to her, and by the time he'd crowded closer,his knee touched hers and he leaned closer. His gaze never left her while he began to tell her in hushed whispers about the woman he'd loved so many many years ago, and how in his mind, it was Logan's fault she'd met an untimely death.

* * *

Logan walked into the lab, frustrated at his inability to even  _talk_  to his boy in a civil manner. But he didn't find either his wife ready to tease or the team's resident fuzzy blue doctor busy at his studies. Instead, he found Hank staring intently at a monitor.

"Hank – what the hel-" Logan started to say before Hank held up a hand to silence him, then waved him over.

"She's getting him to talk," Hank said very quietly while Logan looked over his shoulder, though he found himself instantly alarmed and angry at what he saw.

"What the hell's she doin' in there with him?" he demanded, his volume starting to rise.

"Logan, please. Charles told her to. He's actually been telling her everything."

"You don't know that. That slimy sonofabitch is probably just lying through his teeth," Logan growled, and trust Charles as much as he did, Hank had to concede that he may be right. There was no telling what Creed would or wouldn't do just to screw with someone, and K had been far too much fun for him to screw with in the past for him  _not_ to try.

* * *

In the cell, K rose up quietly, slowly backing away from Creed as he slid down to a prone position on the cot, watching her as he reclined. "You comin' back tomorrow, girly?"" he asked as she reached the barrier.

"No. I don't think so," K said quietly. The door behind her opened just long enough for her to slip out, and Creed didn't blink once as he watched her. As she turned toward the lab, his voice echoed down the hall.

"More of it's true than not, sweetheart. Like it or not, he's just like me. You just  _think_  you picked the lesser of two evils."

Unseen by K, but not missed by Hank, Creed turned his face into the spot where K had been, smiling to himself as he rolled onto his back. Hank's eyebrows drew together as he watched the action but he had no intention of drawing it to Logan's attention.

* * *

K was shaken when she stepped into the lab, silent as she processed all Creed had told her. She didn't even realize that Logan and Hank were waiting for her when she closed the door to the cells behind her. He had to call out to her twice and reach for her before she looked at him, almost surprised at finding him there, though terribly relieved to see him all the same.

"I need to talk to Charles," K said as their gazes met.

Of course, Logan nodded, offering her his arm, which she took so gently he wasn't sure what to make of it. He barely felt the weight of her hands on him. And he didn't know all that Creed had said. They were in the elevator when he finally broke the silence."You alright, darlin'?"

"Yeah, I just need to have Charles sift through what he told me. I don't want to try to figure it out. I just want to  _forget_   _it_ ," she replied, staring at the floor as her voice trailed off.

Just before the doors opened, Logan stepped in front of her and tenderly kissed her forehead. "He shouldn't have sent you in there," he said before giving her a little squeeze, though Creed's scent was still clinging lightly to her hair, raising his hackles.

She agreed, but she was sick over all that he'd told her. Like Daken, Creed's blame was misplaced. The knowledge of the number of women that her husband had loved, or been close to – even for a short time – that had died at Creed's hand simply by association had her sick.

She didn't know if there was some truth to what Creed had to say, but even if there was, it sure didn't justify all he'd done in retaliation. Creed had said he and Logan were two sides to the same coin. They'd been  _friends_. Partners even - and not for just a few weeks or months, but  _for_   _years_.

K sighed to herself as she approached Charles' office. She had nothing to be upset with Logan for. Not really. He didn't know every detail about her past after all. It really wasn't a surprise that they both had a similar policy of sharing only what they thought was pertinent and leaving the past where it belonged - behind them. But it had her wondering if there was something in  _her_ past that would eventually come up and cause trouble between them. And she  _really_ didn't want that to be an issue. And aside from a few things she knew she  _should_ tell him, K was wracking her brain trying to find something that would be damaging if he found out from someone else.

And meanwhile, Logan was honestly upset and curious if Creed  _could_ tell her something that would turn her against him. His memory was better than it had been, but it still wasn't perfect.

 _Please, come in_. Charles' voice echoed in both of their heads. The two of them shared a look before they did as he'd asked. K, for one, had never thought she'd be able to cohabitate with a telepath, but … when it wasn't totally abused, living with telepaths  _was_ somewhat entertaining after a while. "I understand your visit with Creed went better than we'd anticipated," Charles said, looking as if he was ready for good news - and he only smiled wider when K nodded and made a beeline to the chair nearest him

"I understand  _why_  you had me speak with him," K started to say as she leveled her glare at Charles. "But you  _must_ know how much of a breach of trust this has been between you and I –  _using_ me like that."

Charles looked positively shocked at her assessment. "It was necessary."

"I wonder what else you think is necessary," K said. "All you really learned today was that he was a born psychopath, just like Logan has been telling you for years. Like  _I've_ told you since I first came here. It's his natural state. Killing is like breathing for him. He loves it and does it without any thought."

"I was hoping I could help him."

"He has no conscience, Charles. His sense of right and wrong stops with how it affects him. You can't help him to mature – he will terminally have the selfishness of a spoiled brat," K said critically. "He wants what he wants and has no regard for anyone else's property."

"That includes women," Charles said quietly, looking up at her finally. K's anger faltered as she nodded silently. "You're disturbed by what he's admitted to you."

"I already figured out how he thought of me a long time ago," K said softly. "But that doesn't mean that I agree - or that I'm alright with you using that - even if it's to get to him. You need to let it go. You're not going to be able to help him. Ever."

* * *

Charles called Logan back to his office shortly after K left. "She was upset by what Creed had to say," Charles said mildly before Logan could sit down.

"That surprise you for some reason?" Logan asked, steeling himself for bad news as Charles shook his head.

"It would take much more than Creed to shake her faith in you, my friend," Charles told him with a little smile. "He has it in his head to take her from you. And she's blaming herself for his attraction."

"I need to talk to her. She needs to know the rest of the story with him," Logan said suddenly, interrupted by the sound of pounding hooves that reached their ears as K ran a horse past the house. Both men looked out the window to find K on one of her favorite horses riding bareback and bridleless as she leaned far forward. The gelding was snorting with every hoof beat, pushing himself to run faster for her, and the expression on her face was deadly serious in the flash that they saw it. "Yeah. She's gonna be a little while," Logan said with a frown. "I think instead of chattin' it might be best if I hit the danger room while the kids play with Jubes."

Logan didn't wait for Charles to say anything before he turned and left him behind, ready to beat the hell out of something. He just needed a few deserving targets.

* * *

When Logan came in from the danger room,  _hours_ later, the smell of horse sweat, hay, and dirt hit him hard as he walked into the bedroom he and K shared. K was passed out on the bed, not even having changed from her ride. Her boots were still on her feet as they hung over the edge of the bed; clods of wet dirt stuck to them with bits of grass. Smirking to himself, Logan sauntered up and picked up her foot, waking her as he pulled her boot off.

"Hey lover," she said sleepily as she propped herself up on her elbows. "You don't have to do that." When the second boot hit the ground he simply slid over her to kiss her into the bed as she smiled at him. "Did I do something to get the special treatment?"

But Logan simply shook his head as he pulled off her belt and then moved back enough to scoop her up and direct her toward the bathroom. "Hop in the shower. I'll be right in," he promised, kissing her neck before he let her go.

She didn't argue – she knew the smell of horses was strong on her – easily overwhelming her own scent at the moment, so she quickly started to wash up. Her hair hadn't grown much since she'd been burned the day before and she hated the hours - sometimes days- of the awkward in-between stage from bald to something manageable. She seemed to grow hair just a bit slower than he did and she swore to herself as she worked in the shampoo. She'd be able to pull it into a ponytail in a few days, but she was planning on wearing a hat until she thought it was presentable. She was washing her face when Logan slipped in with her, ready to wash off the thick layer of sweat he'd accumulated in the danger room, outstripping the smell of horses and the coconut in her shampoo.

"Short hair's kinda cute on ya," Logan growled out, the smile evident in his voice.

"You'd say that no matter what my hair looked like." K had to smile to herself, even before she turned to face him, though the smile grew wider when she saw the expression on his face. "You're hopeless."

"Just when it comes to you," he countered as they got distracted from the hot water. ,

* * *

Jean looked frustrated when K took a seat next to her the following morning as Logan brought her coffee over. The little redhead was tapping her fingers on the table and staring out the windows with a growing fire in her eyes. When Logan slid next to his wife, coffee in hand and sure to kiss K behind the ear, Jean's glare quickly shifted to him.

"I can't work with that son of yours. He shuts me out the instant I walk in the room," Jean said with venom in her voice. Logan grimaced and stared down at K's hand, sliding his over hers. He'd run out of ideas for Daken nearly as soon as he'd met him. The man was of a one track mind. "I'm bringing him breakfast in a bit, and I don't know what to say to him. I need him to let me in."

"I'll do it," K offered. "Take your time to figure out how you want to approach him. Maybe he'll be more willing to work with you if he thinks he'll have to put up with me instead."

Logan stiffened at the offer as Jean considered it, finally nodding slowly as she formulated a plan of action that might work.


	27. Mind Games

Daken looked genuinely surprised when K brought him his breakfast. She didn't say a word to him- she just delivered the meal and turned around to leave. She was almost to the door on her way out when he called out to her. "Aren't you going to lecture me too?"

"Not my job," she replied, not even looking over her shoulder or breaking stride as she stepped out, closing the door soundly behind her leaving Daken perplexed.

He was sure she'd take the opportunity to say  _something_  to him. Everyone else that had come in did. He wasn't sure what she was up to, but he was sure he didn't like it. Frowning to himself, Daken sat back down on his cot, wondering what her game was.

* * *

"What was that?" Jean asked, staring at K from behind the monitor whre she, Logan, and Hank had gathered to watch the interaction.

"What?"

"You didn't even  _try_  to talk to him."

"So?" K replied, looking at all of them as if they were crazy. He doesn't want to talk, and least of all talk to me, so why bother? He can be quiet and sit there for all I care."

Logan watched her a moment, finally conceding to her It made sound sense. Trying to get Daken to talk was a waste of time, and beyond frustrating to whoever was attempting it. Maybe  _this_ would frustrate  _him_  for a change.

The act repeated itself at lunch, when this time, Daken was angered by her appearance. "What is this?  _You're_ stepping in as my keeper?" he hissed at her.

This time, K stopped just long enough to look at him before she answered. "Kind of. You've been shitty to everyone else who's tried to help you or talk to you, so now, I'm the only one that's willing to make sure you don't starve." She paused to fix him with a dry, unamused look. "You're welcome. See ya in a few hours." As she left, Daken narrowed his eyes down to slits, glaring at her retreat.

He ignored her for the next few meals and K made no move to even attempt to talk to him, not saying a word to him unless he spoke to her first, and sometimes not even then. Four days had passed with the same routine before he was waiting for her.

As always, K acted as if Daken wasn't there, and she dropped off his meal and turned to leave without a word. And for the first time in days, Daken called out "Wait," Daken shouted. "I want to talk to you." But to his shock, K didn't break stride.

"Sorry. On my way out. Maybe next time," she said, closing the door behind her, and for a moment, Daken stared before his anger cracked open. He had started to wonder if she was genuinely as uninterested as she appeared. He'd  _assumed_ this was some juvenile silent treatment, but now he wasn't so sure.

The next day he was waiting for her, prepared for when she showed up, as always. And this time, he decided to try something different. "K, Don't run off," Daken said perfectly calmly.

She sighed and took a moment to look him in the eyes. "Why?" she said, one eyebrow arched up as she crossed her arms.

"Well, I'd like to talk to you," Daken said with his most charming grin.

"Sure you do. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"I think you owe me an apology," he said, shifting his stance on the wall as he leaned on it.

"For what exactly?" K asked, amused.

"You did try to neuter me. I'm very sure that as the only time in my life that I didn't  _enjoy_ my …. Ah…  _jewels_ in someone's mouth," he said with a smirk, pouring on the charm. As K thought it over for a moment, Daken was sure he he had her attention.

"No," She said after a moment, looking toward the ceiling and shaking her head slightly. "I don't think so."

His facade of charm slipped away in an instant. "What do you mean,  _no_?"

"I mean, if anything, you owe  _me_  an apology," K replied, giving him half a beat before she turned on her heel. She was nearly to the door when he spoke up.

"I'm sorry I stabbed you and threw you out of that helicopter," he said, shocking her into pausing mid step. She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "I almost came back for you."

She couldn't read a lie on his face, which didn't really surprise her. Logan had  _said_ he was nothing if not a talented liar. She waited to hear what else he might have to say. He sighed and slid his hands into his jeans, looking like a kid that got busted for sneaking off with the last cookie.

"I'll keep that in mind," K said finally, continuing to the door. "Oh, and Akihiro, I'm sorry I split your skull," she said quietly as she made her way out.

He grinned to himself as the clang of the door echoed in the chamber, again convinced that he had it all covered … but it was still another week before he tried to talk to her again.

* * *

Creed on the other hand was getting progressively more irritated. He'd requested  _only_ her, and so far, she'd refused to show, various team members took turns at being verbally abused by the monster. When Logan showed, it was the like throwing gas on a fire.

"You're the last person I wanna look at, Runt. Why don't you send that pretty little piece my way? I'd like to get her in here again for a little while," he growled out. "Afraid she'll change her mind about ya and go for a real man?"

Logan didn't look bugged in the least. "Even if I were to croak right now, she'd never – and I mean  _never_  give you a shot. She ain't interested. At all. Never was. Never will be. You just ain't good enough for her."

"And you think you are?" Creed growled back. "You ain't half the man I am."

"She sure seems to think otherwise," he said easily. If looks could kill, they could test Logan's theory right then. As it was, Creed made a lunge for him anyhow, and the energy barrier bent millimeters from Logan's face as he calmly stood there, looking at Creed as if he were a petulant child moments before the barrier flung him backward with the same force he'd exerted on it, slamming him into the adamantium laced walls with a crash. Creed took a moment to pull himself from the floor, irritated to find Logan still in the same spot, clearly not bothered at all by his outburst.

"I know you're slow, but let me try to spell it out for you. She's  _mine,_ Creed. Nothin' you can do or say is gonna change that," Logan said with a calm, even tone, finally turning his back on him and walking leisurely away to Creeds' rising growls.

* * *

"K. Wait," Daken called out as she barely flicked her gaze to him before turning to walk away. "I'm serious! Don't leave, damn you!"

K slowed to a stop just before the door. She dropped her slumped her shoulders. "Something wrong with your tea?" she asked without turning.

"No. I want to talk," he said for the first time with what K thought might be some honesty.

"I'll see if anyone's available," she said raising her arm to open the door. He was sure that she'd take the chance to try to crack him like all the others had. He floundered for a reply – something to sound more sincere.

"I  _meant_ to you," Daken said, but she didn't reply and he knew he was losing her interest. "I'd like to speak with my father too."

And at that, K sighed before answering him. "I'll let him know." Other than that, she made no acknowledgment that she'd heard his request to speak to her.

* * *

Charles and Logan made their way to see Daken,and though they were gone no more than an hour, when they returned, both of them were overly pensive. "He wants to talk to you," Charles said to Logan, who was smirking and shaking his head at his wife.

"Apparently you get under his skin," Logan told K with a smirk, pulling her close and making a point to steal a less than socially acceptable kiss. "Not that I'm surprised."

"I didn't do anything," K said innocently.

"That's kind of the whole point," Logan said, gesturing to the now-closed door. He's used to people trying to get him on their side or caving when he pours on the charm. He's not used to being blown off. It bugs him," he said with a grin. Instead of answering, K slid her hand into his back pocket as she slipped to his side, waiting for him to lead the way.

"Well, are you going to talk to him?" Jean asked as she sat on Hank's desk, having watched the conversation between the three in the cells.

"I'll think about it," she replied after a long pause - but that only had Logan laughing.

"You're gonna drive him nuts," Logan said to her. "You know that's not gonna be anything but trouble."

"I'm quakin' in my boots," K replied dryly. "He's already nuts, and you should know better than to  _push me_ , mister."

Logan grinned, laughing to himself about the last time she'd refused to speak to someone.

* * *

After two more weeks of nothing changing, Daken finally had enough and refused to talk to Jean or Charles until K spoke with him, and when  _that_ didn't get her to come to him, he finally requested to speak to his father in an effort to get Logan to force K to speak to him.

"Why is she so stubborn?" Daken asked, when Logan insisted that it was up to K on who she spoke to and when.

"Just is. Can't do a damn thing about it," Logan replied, his thumbs in the loops of his jeans as he leaned against the wall opposite Daken's cell. "And even if I could, I wouldn't want to."

" _Make her_  talk to me," Daken asserted. "I know you can."

But at that, Logan shook his head and pushed away from the wall. "Don't work like that. Pushin' her just makes it worse."

"That's not what I mean. You're her husband. You can force her. She has to obey you."

Logan frowned deeply at that. "I don't know where the hell you got that into your head, but that's just not gonna happen," Logan said gruffly.

The words had no sooner left Logans' mouth when the door opened with K behind it. Daken was hesitant to say anything, though he wanted desperately for her to talk to him. But taking what Logan had told him to heart, he knew his pushing had been why she refused.

And yet, Logan grabbed K's arm as she dropped off Daken's meal, pulling her into a quick kiss and quietly leaned into her hair. "Please," Logan said at a whisper that Daken couldn't catch from where he was beyond the energy barrier. "As a favor to me, talk to him so we can put an end to whatever this crap is."

"Not sure I want to," K replied quietly.

"I'll make sure to show you my  _deepest_ appreciation later if you do."

"And if I don't?"

"Well … same thing stands."

K let out a breath. "Well … since you said  _please,_ " she said before she reached up to pat his cheek. "So polite."

He gave her a dry look, then stole a long kiss. "In that case, I'll leave you two alone."

K scrunched her nose at him as he winked, and both she and Daken watched him leave, neither saying a word until the door was closed.

* * *

When K left the room near Daken's cell two hours later, he was furious. He didn't think it was possible, but he was more angry with her than he'd been with his father when he first found himself in his cell.  _None_ of his tricks worked and he couldn't quite believe it. He'd even had the telepaths convinced that he was trying to reform, but K simply let him talk, then answered his questions with one word answers. The whole time, Daken tried to get a good feel on how to manipulate her. And he'd even smirked to himself when she seemed to relax,  _finally_ relaxing enough to start chatting with him. Until … she suddenly cocked her head to one side, eyes narrowed, lips parted a fraction of an inch as she locked gazes with him then simply uncrossed her legs from where she sat, got to her feet and declared that he was full of shit.

He couldn't understand how she picked up on his deception. He'd cranked up the pheromones in an attempt to force her into trusting him - a trick that had  _always_ worked for him. It had worked on his father and his band of do-gooders … so how was she resisting him?

* * *

On the other side of the cell block, Creed's level of irritation had hit a fever pitch when he finally got his wish. K appeared for just a moment, but clearly with no plans to stay.

"Bout damn time, woman," He said in a huff, his hands on his hips. "It's been too damn long. Where the hell ya been?"

But K had taken quite enough from Creed and Daken - and she was honestly tired of them. "I don't want anything to do with you. Ever. I only came down to make sure I was perfectly clear so you don't find some way to twist up what I'm going to tell you now. In person, face to face since you don't seem to get it."

"No,  _you_ don't get it. I saw you first. I staked my claim, and you've fought me every damn step of the way," Creed growled out as she shook her head.

"Don't try to act like you ever wanted to do anything but torture and kill me. You  _sold me_  to that lab," she said in an angry but even tone. "Whatever weird claim you have in your head? That's all it is. In your head. I've never been anything to you until you found out I was with Logan." She turned to walk away when he just couldn't keep it to himself.

"Be sure you understand, frail – nothin' changes between us, just like it won't change between the two of you any time soon. It's the way we were raised, uppity lil' troublemakers like you? You got just as much draw to him as one of his damn swords. If you ain't a weapon, then it's just a matter of breeding stock. That's all they wanted you for in that lab and here you are with him, and you didn't even have to be forced into it.  _That part you did on your own._ " K couldn't help the furious blush that rose up in her cheeks as he kept almost  _crooning_ his vitriol. "Look in the mirror, girl. You don't stack up to the girls he really falls for. You're no Fox, or Mariko, or Jean." He watched the weight his words had on her and thrilled in it. "You're just a shrimpy little piece a tail. Hey, lets face it, if it weren't for the scent, you'd have been a one night stand." He knew he'd hit home when she held her breath. Grinning, he watched her try to shake it off, pleased with himself for once again, finding a weakness and tearing into it like a dog on a bone. He couldn't have cut to her fears any quicker had he been a telepath.

* * *

When K left the lab, she was furious, and angry enough that she flat out ignored Chloe and Zoe when they tried to flag her down. They were only asking her to take them shopping, but she didn't even seem to realize they were there as her speed increased the closer she got to the front door. It was raining gently outside, but she really didn't care. She needed to run until the thoughts were gone from her head.

It wasn't that he was right by any stretch. She knew that Creed was just trying to get under her she didn't know was how he'd managed to hit the nail so squarely on one of her deepest concerns.

If she'd slowed down, she'd be able to think … and to realize that Creed had plenty of access to her files at Weapon X - files that had been half-written up by the likes of Cyber and an army of telepaths. But she wasn't slowing down enough for that when she had  _running_ to do.

* * *

The little ones were playing in the living room when Logan came through looking for his wife. He'd been in class when K had gone to talk to Creed, but he heard he had said from Hank, who was monitoring the cell when K talked to him. Hank had tried to stop her - to talk to her and talk her down, but … she body checked him on her way past and made it clear she didn't want to be followed.

The fact that K hadn't saddled up a horse to relax had Logan more concerned. She needed out and away badly enough that she didn't want to slow down to even pull a horse. That action in itself was enough for anyone to see she was overly upset.

Which left Logan in a bad spot. He was furious over Creeds' manipulation of her. Particularly since he was  _so_ wrong. He had James in his arms as the girls played on the floor while he weighed out chasing her down or waiting for her to return on her own, and he was glad that Jubilee was there with her hands out to take James when he decided that he didn't want K coming to the wrong conclusion, and as soon as he'd handed James to Jubilee … he gave chase.


	28. Unexpected Moments

K's trail into the forest was hard even for Logan to follow. The rain washed away the scent and mudded up the trail, obscuring her footprints. It was frustrating in a way that Logan simply hadn't had to deal with in longer than he could remember. He very nearly lost his temper trying to follow the quickly disintegrating trail in the pouring rain when he found her shoes. Then not long after that, her jeans and a little further down, her jeans. All of it made a trail to the lake where he found her floating with just her face above the water and wearing surprisingly little in the cold weather and cold water.

It was a pretty idyllic picture – pale skin below the water obscured by the rain hitting the lake's surface. He took a moment to look around himself. This part of the lake was well apart from the house and when he realized how isolated they were, he decided sometimes, it was better to run with it than argue it. Though he was half stripped and partially into the lake himself before he realized he'd made the decision to join her. When he touched her arm, K pulled back, and before she said a word, he pulled her close and kissed her as a means of saying hello.

The cold water became a vibrant contrast to his warm skin as he kept a solid hold on her. "Any reason for the skinny dippin' – or you just feel the need to run around in your skivvies without me?"

"First of all, it's not skinny dipping if there are any clothes involved. This is a school I had  _some_ decorum. And second … I was already wet anyhow. You know… in for a penny, in for a pound." She slid deeper into the water and dipped down so her chin was under the water, considering floating again as the rain started to let up. But Logan followed her lead as they slipped into deeper water. It always surprised her when cold water suddenly seemed much warmer than the air on her wet skin by virtue of simply being submerged.

"I know what he said to you," Logan said quietly. "He doesn't know what he's talkin' about, darlin', you know that."

K looked almost distant as she replied, though and that had him worried even before she opened her mouth. "Yeah," she said, the tiniest tremor in her voice. "But it  _is_ something I've worried about." His hand slid up to cradle her jaw as he tried to make her look him in the eyes. "You don't need to say anything. I  _know_  how you feel," K continued. "It just doesn't stop me from doubting  _myself_. I'll get past it."

"No. Listen. The day we met.. you were freshly showered – smelled like freesia and roses from using Jean's God awful soap and your face was beat to hell from a rifle butt to your temple. Then ya had to go and scare the life half outta me. I thought I'd lost you before I got a chance to steal a kiss." He smirked as she allowed him to pull her in tighter as he reminisced. "When Hank was putting you into that stupid hospital gown I was hoping like hell you'd fight again so I could pin ya down. Wasn't too happy about him doing the work there, either."

She shook her head and scrunched her nose up at him. "Just makes it sound like Creed was partly right," she said, but he quickly cut that down, shaking his head.

"If he was right, I wouldn't have noticed you until  _after_  scenting you for the first time. Weren't you listenin'? There wasn't any of your own scent on you. You smelled like flowers."

"Yeah, Jean's flowers," she laughed. "I've heard all the rumors and the old rivalry more than you realize."

But still, Logan was denying that. "I hated that soap," he grumbled. "Told her to throw it out a dozen times. Made my nose itch." That at least got a hesitant smile from her as he continued. chuckling at the memory. "Hell, probably why she kept it. Knew it was hard for me to be near her like that."

"So what did it?" K asked. "I've seen the women you've fallen for in the past, and I don't stack up. "

At that, Logan truly looked disappointed. He wasn't much of a talker most of the time anyhow … but knowing that he'd neglected this enough that she'd believe even a word of Creed's garbage had him convinced it was high time he made a point of letting her know what he thought of her.

"First of all, you're wrong. Remember that. Hell, maybe you need to look in the mirror a little closer, but the fact is you knocked the wind out of me. It was instant. Helps that you were the prettiest damn thing I ever saw."

"Uh huh," she said doubtfully as he squeezed her a little tighter. "So, by the time we got into that clearing in the woods?"

"I knew I sure as hell wasn't gonna let you blow up," he said seriously. She blushed lightly in spite of herself as she thought back on how that walk had gone, but that only earned her another smirk. "The more I got to know ya, the better you got, sweetheart. Your scent is just the tip of the iceberg."

"That kiss," K said quietly, smiling crookedly. "Yeah, you can still get whatever you want like that."

"Goes both ways," Logan said. "But … I can't smell you at all right now, darlin'."

"Nothing but rainwater, really," she agreed as she swam a little further away from him. He wouldn't let her go far though. Holding her hand gently, he reeled her back in. The two of them took a little time to center themselves, playing around very much like they did on their honeymoon - away from the rest of the house and nothing in the world distracting them for a moment, anyhow.

* * *

As it turned out, Jean had to reach out for them to come in, though she couldn't help but laugh out loud when Logan asked her to try again when the students were in bed unless she was ready for them to come up naked. She turned to Scott, red faced from laughing and the mental image. "What do they expect to do until the kids are in bed?" she laughed, but her tone was entirely troublemaking.

"I'll give you three guesses, honey – they're probably naked already, running around out there," Scott replied. "Though, we  _could_ send Bobby down there with a couple towels. Have him threaten to freeze the lake."

Jean grinned and called Bobby over, sure that the Howletts didn't need any more excuses to get wild in creative places, let alone when most of the mansion  _knew_ they were outside somewhere and guessing exactly what they were up to. Suspicion was one thing – the risk that someone might look out if the two of them got too carried away to pay attention to where they were and see the two of them far too close in the water …. Well, that was another story all together. She laughed even harder when ten minutes later, Bobby practically flew past them with Logan hot on his heels, stark naked and swearing up a blue streak with frost in his hair.

The laughter stopped however, when K slipped past them on her way to their room leisurely taking her time as she went by, just as naked as he was and not in nearly the rush the boys had been in. Apparently, Bobby thought it would be  _funnier_ if he didn't bring the towels.

* * *

It took months of preparation for the two captives, but finally, the day was quickly approaching for the X-Men to hand over the criminals that had been held at the Institute. After that last discussion, K had since refused to have any further contact with Creed, following Logan's advice to keep away from him entirely. Even in the face of Charles who was requesting she help him. The Howletts were convinced that reform was simply not an option for Creed, and the two of them adamantly ignored any attempted guilt trips from any of the telepaths as they tried in vain to persuade K to help them with Creed's attempted rehabilitation.

On the other hand, K had started to spend  _more_ time with Daken. It seemed as though they'd reached a bit of a cease fire. She refused to tell him about herself, or her past – and nothing at all about the children she had with Logan. Instead, they simply chatted when he'd request her presence, or when very rarely, she'd take the initiative to visit him. She was guarded, sure that he was trying to find her weaknesses - but she was only partly right.

Daken had never really had a woman's influence in his life; not since his foster mother died that is, and she was no prize. He didn't see K in that role, but seemed to be realizing that much of what he had thought to be true about women was off base. K wasn't weak – though she was  _fiercely_ protective of her family – Logan included. When Daken said she was little more than an animal in an attempt to rile her, she simply asked him what made him think he was any better.

"You  _are_  trying to kill your father, after all," K said. "If that isn't a wanna be alpha wolf pack kind of thing, I don't know what is." She ran her hand through her hair and leaned back on the bench across from the door of his cell.

"No, you've got it wrong – that's what they do to control the pack. I just -"

"Want to be the big dog," K finished. "Want the old alpha out of the way and for everyone to acknowledge you as better? Doesn't matter if it kills the pack, you want to take him down." Daken stared at her open mouthed, clearly never having thought of it that way. He shook his head, almost violently before he launched into a long winded explanation of Bushido, which, of course, she'd heard before from her Samurai husband.

"Woof," K cut in to the middle of his tirade, stopping him in his tracks.

"Shut up. That's not it at all," he growled out.

"Then how about this. You were lied to –  _you know_ you were lied to – which, by definition was a less than honorable thing for your mentor to do – but I digress. Still, you believe the lies rather than give your father a shot, while using  _every chance you can_  to convince yourself and everyone around you that you're doing the honorable thing in trying to treat your  _father_  like a dog."

"So, you want me to give him a chance – just forget all of it and be an X-Man?"

"Hell no. You start hanging around I'm going to have to share him with you. No thank you," K teased as she stood up, and shockingly, it left Daken smirking at the thought. "I just want you to make your own life. If he – and I, if you'd  _like_ , are to be part of it, fine. Or, if it's just that you need me to kick your ass from time to time, consider me on call."

It took a few days, but in the end, Daken chose to  _try_ and let it go – at least for the time being.

When Fury came to retrieve Daken, K was the one advocating to remove the muzzle he'd worn all this time, solely for the purpose of letting him shave – something she knew Daken really wanted to do. And as part of that, Charles insisted that Logan be the one to keep a hold on him once it was time to move him.

The day Daken and Creed left the Institute was a quiet one. Everyone was prepared for all hell to break loose. They were all tense and ready to spring, but it ended up going down smoothly without a single snag. In fact, the only part that was unplanned was when little Abbey slipped out past Kitty, rushing to her parents as Daken was being taken into custody. Daken stopped in his tracks when he saw her pulling on K's leg, watching their interaction carefully.

Of course, K picked her up and Abbey turned in her arms to look at Daken, leaning her head on her mother's shoulder as she watched him with those brilliant icy blue eyes they both shared with their father. Daken honestly didn't know what to do when Abbey waved at him sadly, saying 'bye bye brudder'.

He stared back at her in open shock. The fact that she knew who he was had a million questions rushing through his mind and all he wanted now was a few minutes to  _talk_ to his father and  _stepmother_ alone. Clearly, Abbey didn't know the extent that Daken had gone to try to kill either of them and it was driving him nuts wondering if it wasn't  _that,_ then what did they tell her?

One of the Agents at his elbow jostled him and Daken cleared his throat before he waved the tips of his fingers at his little sister with a smile. "Goodbye, little one," he said. "Be good for your mother."

"Okay, love you!" Abbey called out, and again, Daken frowned, looking over to K with a look of concentrated confusion as the SHIELD agents loaded him up.

* * *

Just about the time it seemed that things were getting quiet at the Institute, K and several of her best riding students decided to enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon riding in the arena. The students were prepping for K's obstacle course, excitement over the annual test was getting higher as they got closer and no one but K had seen it.

K was working a young horse that one of the newest students had brought with when she came to the school. She'd been riding the horse almost  _exclusively_ for two months, and the hot little chestnut mare was coming along, but she was also  _unbelievably_ easy to spook. The girl that had brought her was watching K from the bleachers with Logan, who had just gotten back from a mission earlier than anticipated and had left the little ones sleeping where they were curled up with Rachel and Jean so he could watch K work.

All at once, everything went to hell. A massive horsefly bit Zoe's horse on the backside where neither Zoe or the horse could reach, causing it to buck her off hard and take off bucking and crow hopping around the arena. Chloe's horse spooked sideways at the loose horse, though she managed to keep on, though that was definitely due to her asking the horse to settle with her ability to speak to animals in play. The mare K was on seemed to be alright until the bucking horse kicked at her as it passed her by. The mare screamed out, rearing up high and K pushed her reins forward and grabbed onto her mane, leaning as far forward as she could, but it was too late and the mare began back pedaling fast. All at once the mare's back feet went out from under her and over she went – squarely on top of her rider with a huge echoing crack. Logan jumped up, running hard for her; the only thing he could focus on was K's limp body as the horse got back up and started to run, dragging her by her foot caught up in the stirrup.

She didn't go too far though, before K's foot slipped out of the boot and the horse continued on, leaving K a bloodied mess, spread eagle at the center of the arena. Logan kneeled down next to her as Jubilee rushed to catch the loose mare as Zoe already had gotten her horse under control.

"Sweetheart, Come on – look at me," Logan said as he leaned over K, brushing her hair out of her face as she started to come around. "What the hell broke?" It was clear he was nervous about what or  _how_ she could have broken anything at all. When she opened her eyes, she took a moment to gather herself up, moaning a little as she tried to not move.

"Is Zoe OK?" K asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, she's fine. Standin' right there, didn't get so much as a bump, but what about you? What broke, damnit?" Logan demanded.

"I … it hurts. Just. Wait," K said quietly as he worried over her. He knew she'd be fine, but even though he didn't want to move her, that didn't mean he wasn't impatient, and as she tried not to move or jostle anything, Logan began to pull up her shirt to see where the damage was centered.

K didn't even try to stop him, though she wished she had when she felt him go still and tense next to her. She picked her head up a little and stole a peek at her stomach - her entire torso was blooming a very dark black as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Damnit K, what the hell  _broke_?" Logan asked, his voice tense as he was unable to  _see_ what could have been the source of that sickening hollow sound.

"Saddle."

"What?"

"Saddle tree broke. Snapped in half," K said, covering his hand with hers as it rested over the worst of the black bruising at her middle A little while later, she sat up with his help, though the black bruise still hadn't faded even a tiny bit. " _Sonofabitch_. Where is my boot?" K's voice was thick and sluggish, but it was at least a sign that she was on her way of healing up.

"Come on, let's get you inside," Logan said, shaking his head as he pulled her up. He kept his arm around her to hold her upright. With a sigh, he tried to control his tense reaction knowing that had she been 'normal' she'd probably be in traction after that wreck.

"Not yet," K replied, fighting him as he tried to guide her to the gate. "Jubes, bring that mare over here."

Jubilee looked nervous, but as she glanced between the two of them, she did as K asked, walking both her horse and the mare that had flipped, who was shaking like a leaf. K walked to the mare's side, then pulled the broken saddle off her and showed the students gathered around her how the saddle had broken before pulling Jubilee's saddle off of her horse swinging it up onto the nervous mare.

"Sweetheart, what the hell-" Logan started before K cut him off.

"Gotta get back on, love. You know how it is with horses. I can't leave her after a wreck like that or she'll think she can do it all the time - and to someone a lot less durable."

But Logan  _really_ didn't like the sound of that at all, and he looked almost murderous as she asked him for a leg up on the now freshly saddled mare. "Come on, Logan. If I don't,  _someone_ has to. You're not a trainer and I'm not asking any of these kids to get on this mare until I know she's over the rearing."

He glared at her with his best 'I am  _so_  not happy with you' stare, but she didn't wait for him before she climbed up with some serious effort. Once she was seated well, the mare started to dance until K got her moving again. The mare was of course, more nervous as she passed the other horses and the spot where she'd gone over backwards. But K kept riding her with a little smile that didn't reach her eyes until the mare settled a bit then she quickly slid off.

"Now what?" Logan growled out.

"Now, I guess I start looking for another saddle. That one's shot."

"I don't care about the saddle, K."

"Oh. Well, now I ride her three times a day instead of two until she's safe again," K replied. But the little girl that owned her was in  _tears_ , terrified on seeing how her teacher had been hurt. "Oh, Cat, I'd rather she did it with me than with you. It's fine, unless you're scared of her."

Cat  _was_ scared, but on hearing it, K only amended her plan with the mare to make sure she was safe so she could sell her for Cat. The two ferals argued about it all the way back to the house as the teens put away the horses. Logan advocated that K take it easy, K argued that he was being overprotective.

And meanwhile, the girls were looking at the broken saddle. It could fold nearly in half now and it had broken so cleanly, that the saddle horn gad also broken at a bad angle. They didn't know it, but the horn had broken when the horse stood up again, only snapping free as it pulled on K's ribcage.

Logan refused to listen to her protestations and made sure to drag her to Hank to be looked over as the kids examined the damage to the equipment.

"If this had happened to one of us -" Zoe started.

"We'd be dead, probably," Chloe finished as the girls started imagining what kind of damage K had sustained, and likely already partially healed from.

"That's why she won't let anyone ride any of the horses here until she clears them," Jubilee supplied. "Remember that Arabian? She finally let it go when it bashed her into the wall a dozen times."

"She's been using herself like a crash test dummy for us," Paige said quietly.

"We should do something nice for her before we go to college," Emmett added. All of the kids were in agreement, but none knew what to do.


	29. The Bet

When classes ended for the year, it was an especially bittersweet time. As usual, the big event of the finals week was K's obstacle course. And once again, she'd found a way to make it new, adding different levels of challenges for the different levels of riders. The staff of course also made the run themselves, but that years newest addition was that the  _parents_ of many of the students were in attendance to cheer the kids on as well.

K and Logan's annual race was a particularly memorable one. They trash talked before the race, picking at each other and teasing – with Logan pinching her before they got lined up to run. It was all the more entertaining as he beat her out by half a length. She took her loss in good spirit though as he pulled her off her horse, laughing along with him as they both grinned, kissing at the finish line with the populous of the school divided sharply between cheers and boos while he promised to claim his prize later. When he let her loose and the cat calls died down K began her award presentation. Before she could get too far though, she was interrupted by Jubilee.

Her oldest students had arranged something for  _her_ this year, unbeknownst to most of the staff. So K was taken entirely by surprise when the eight graduating students came out with a new saddle for her. It was something that Logan knew she needed, but he also knew she refused to buy for herself, saying that if she needed one that badly, she'd just do what she always did and win one at a rodeo somewhere.

But it was a sweet gesture, one that showcased how grown up the kids of Xaviers had all gotten, especially considering that the following fall, Jubilee, Chloe, and Zoe would all be in college off campus. And though he would never admit it, Logan was hit particularly hard by Jubilee's near constant show of maturity as of late.

He'd watched out for her since she was  _thirteen_ , after all, and now, after years with the X-Men, years of following him around the world, fighting to  _save_  the world, and somehow growing up too, she was leaving him. Or it felt that way. K tried to be especially considerate of him in light of that and had fallen into pretty much giving him anything he wanted.

Chloe and Zoe took K's new saddle to the barn after the kids presented it to her, and both of them gave her a long, tight hug before they left her standing with Logan. Today, the little ones were in the house already with Kurt and Kitty - playing happily with Rachel and Michael as the stands full of students and parents cleared out.

"You alright?" K asked Logan as he watched Jubilee walk away, arm in arm with Everett. Logan didn't say a word, though he let out a little grunt of annoyance. "They're not dating, you know."

"Yeah?" Logan challenged. "Then why's he got his hand on her ass?"

"Um … new development?" K said quietly as she leaned on the fence, looking for a way to change the subject. "They weren't dating last I heard, I swear ... " and when that didn't settle him out, it was clear a change in subject was in order. "So," she started quietly. "What would you like for your prize, Mister finally-beat-me-at-my-own-game?"

"Now  _that_  is something I'd like to talk about," Logan replied, his tone something that set her on edge. "How often have I beat you on horseback?"

K chuckled as she shrugged. "I'm very sure this is the first time," she said.

"Seems like I should get somethin' really worth my efforts," he said, though his expression was something she was absolutely not prepared for.

"Uh-uh. No way, cowboy. That's not on the table. I already  _told_ you no more kids. At least for now, so get that damn twinkle outta your eyes before I knock it out," K said sternly as he pulled her to him by her belt loops.

His smile just grew from a smirk as his hand slipped higher up the back of her tank top. "Wanna go for double or nothin', feisty?" he said in a growl as he leaned in to kiss her neck. He knew damn well that whenever he did that, she melted, and she let out a nervous kind of chuckle as he started playing dirty.

" _No_ , I do not. You'll just  _cheat_. Logan, please. Get real. Pick something else.  _Anything_ else," K said as he lifted her hair off her shoulder, and slid the strap of her tank top off her shoulder so he could work his way down from her ear. "Sexual favors for a month on demand. How about that?" she suggested with a grin even as she tried to keep her stern tone.

"Nope. You'd do that anyhow if I asked."

K tipped her head to the side. "True enough."

"Put the option on the table. I wanna open up negotiations. We'll call  _that_  double or nothin'. Come on – I promise I'll make it worth your while."

K's heart was racing as she bit her lip, leaning into the crook of his neck. "This is supposed to be something  _fun_ – not something serious."

"You know what I want, and I'm offerin' you an out," he replied low. "Can't ask for more than that."

"I'm just not ready to even talk about it," she said smiling nervously, though she knew that even if she  _lost_ , he'd drop it if she asked. It was really just negotiating to talk about it.

"Alright, fine – I'll come up with somethin' else then. Like … our next one has to be born in Canada … whenever that is."

K stiffened in his arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "Wait.  _This_ is what you wanted anyhow isn't it?"

But Logan grinned in response. "I'd like a few things. But those are your options. Bring in the possibility of another kid before these are grown, or … just agree that the next one's Canadian. Or …  _more_ Canadian. How's that – I gave  _you_ a choice." The whole while, he kept kissing her neck, and let his hands wander. It was purely baiting … and he knew she didn't really have anything against Canadians … but to be  _in_ Canada when she was so vulnerable would drive her nuts.

But whether he knew it or not, it really just had K seriously weighing out just giving him the green light for another baby instead of this insane game. They'd discussed it in passing before, particularly since Jean and Scott had started trying for another one. Now, K wondered if he'd gotten the idea just because of the Summers. But she didn't think that  _one_ little passing mention would kick him off like this. When she had asked him what he thought about one more a few weeks beforehand over coffee –  _purely out of curiosity_ \- she truly didn't expect him to jump on board  _so fast_.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Okay what?" he asked, kissing his way toward her mouth until he could just kiss the sense out of her. He was anticipating either direction, sure she'd take the easier route and opt for the Canadian deflection.

"Double or nothin', stud," he was stunned enough to stop kissing her entirely and stare at her a moment. "Open negotiations, but not with another horse race, and not  _today_ ," she clarified.  
"What you wanna use then?"

"I don't know yet. But we have to go by something neither of us has an advantage in."

"You sure?" he teased "Don't want ya havin' second thoughts."

"Oh, sure. It's probably just that you don't want to  _lose_."

"Not even a possibility."

"Ha."

"You sure you wanna go head to head in a competition?

"Of course I'm not sure, but you're pushing so, here's the terms. You win, we open negotiations – I win, you drop it until  _I_  bring it up again _._ "

"If I'm gonna get what I want anyhow, why don't cha just skip the game and pick which you want first?" he growled out.

"Or you can just pick something else entirely if you're  _afraid_ you'll get beat. The ball is in your court, love," Her tone was soft, but her eyes were dancing with trouble.

"Alright.  _When_ I win, I pick the timeline," he said with a smirk.

"If."

"Sure.  _If._ "

* * *

The next evening the games began. Jubilee and the sisters were watching all the kids and having a fine time watching movies while Kitty and Piotr took a well deserved date night. But Logan didn't know it was game on until K approached him with a paper grocery bag. He had been screwing around with Kurt - something to do with payback on Bobby- and the two of them were discussing a pool game when K showed up wearing a grin - and the one pair of jeans that Logan always got distracted by.

"Everything we need is in here," K told him, setting the bag on the counter.

His interest was clearly piqued and he stopped mid sentence - entirely forgetting what he and Kurt were discussing as he closed the distance and took a peek.

"You got two bottles of whiskey and a pair of inhibitor collars. What the hell is this?" he asked with a smirk that said he knew exactly what she had in mind.

"Well, I started thinking," K said - absolutely doing what she could to distract him  _visually_. " – you're Irish, I'm Swedish – and both nationalities are known for their ability to hold their liquor, so … I'm gonna drink you under the table, sweetheart." She was grinning by the time she'd finished and Kurt's tail was swaying slowly behind him as he watched the two of them outright  _tactically_ flirting.

"Two bottles ain't gonna do it."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," K said, gingerly holding up the inhibitors. "That's where the unconventional jewelry comes in. Hank has agreed to keep us from going so far as to need medical intervention, but I'm getting you drunk."

"Yes, but if this is a bet, then what are the rules?" Kurt asked, unable to stay on the sidelines for something that could be so monumentally troublemaking.

"Easy," K said. "Whoever  _falls first_  loses."

Both Logan and Kurt grinned. "This will be a cake walk," Kurt said.

"So, where we doin' this thing?" Logan asked, his mood rising as he thought of how much fun getting her plastered could potentially be - for both of them.

"Game room. I'm gonna kick your ass on the pool table too," K replied with a smirk. "Best part? If the girls have trouble with the kids, we just pull the collars and  _viola_ – sober parents again."

"You've put some thought into this," Logan said, picking up the bag with the whiskey and already following her lead to the game room.

But K just smiled over her shoulder as she answered. "Yep. Been wanting to do this since you tried to get me drunk on a few Budweisers."

Kurt burst out laughing at that. "Oh, can I play too?"

"What for?" Logan asked, frowning at him, even as he had one hand resting at the small of K's back.

Kurt grinned wider. "Because,  _mein Freund_ , I want to see who between the two of us is the lightweight when there is no  _cheating_ through healing going on."

Logan gave Kurt a glare as K spun on the spot - both index fingers pointing at Logan … which really just had the competition already sparking up.

* * *

There was a small crowd waiting for them in the game room. Most of the resident X-Men were waiting to place their bets while Hank - who had been determined to be the referee – was making sure neither K or Logan somehow cheated as they carried out their little competition.

"Before we get started, may I ask what the stakes are that you're playing for?" Hank asked.

The couple shared a sly smile and Logan shook his head. "Private bet," he replied as she grinned. He was convinced that there was no way she was going to beat him.

"Alright then," Hank said wearily as he handed each of them a collar. "Once both of you have snapped them on, I'll activate them."

Both Logan and K shared a look before took the flirting a step further as they slipped them onto each other, though K couldn't hide the flinch when they snapped shut. A simple push of the button on the controller was all it took to negate their healing capabilities for the evening. And as soon as the lights on the collars lit up, Kurt stepped forward to hand each of them a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass, his tail swaying behind him - already grinning and looking forward to see which of them fell first.

"No drinking ahead of the other, you each have someone to pour and keep track for you," Hank said, nodding to Kurt and Sean. "So with that, before we begin – ladies and gentlemen, place your bets."

Sean took the bottle from K and poured her a shot, shaking his head at her as their friends made their bets amongst themselves. Of course, the odds were stacked against her as Bobby acted as bookie. "Are ye sure this is the way to settle a bet, lass?" Sean asked, though he was grinning widely and Logan was waiting for her, his glass in hand as she took the shot from Sean. K took one look at her smirking husband – he was so  _sure_ he was going to win.

But instead of answering Sean verbally, K simply by raised her glass to Logan. " _Skål_!" she said before throwing the shot back, her face expressionless as she lowered her glass, not dropping her gaze from his.

Logan grinned and mirrored her action.

"And so it begins," Hank said with a smile. "You will each take a shot every ten minutes. No more - and no faster. But if you drop back, then that will be it."

K nodded and picked up a pool cue. "Ready to lose, love?"

"Not tonight, darlin'," he replied. It was clear that the two of them were already sounding far too competitive for what appeared to be an easy contest.

* * *

Six shots in and both Logan and K were getting loose. K laughed to herself as she realized her lips were going numb. Though her stoic look was unnerving as she waited for Sean to hand her the seventh shot of the night. Both Logan and K were swaying a bit before they threw them back. As Logan set his glass down, he watched K do the same.

"You can quit, darlin'. Don't gotta push it all the way," Logan told her.

"Oh no. This goes until one of us hits the ground, and by one of us, I mean you," she replied. "This is a matter of  _pride_. Swedes don't quit on a  _drinking_ contest."

"Sweetheart, you can't win this."

"Yes, I can," she replied stubbornly even as he pulled her close for a kiss. She didn't fight him on it, but he couldn't deny that she really  _was_ handling it well. Sure she swayed, but not any worse than he .

* * *

Two hours and twelve shots later, the drunken pool tournament was irretrievable. Neither Logan or K could hit the cue let alone land even the simplest of shots and it wasn't long before they decided to move on to something else entirely. Their friends were left shaking their heads as the couple got wasted. To top it off, everyone but Hank had imbibed a bit themselves, especially since the ferals were inadvertently providing the entertainment for the evening.

Logan was grinning like a Cheshire cat and K was  _giggling_. The two of them weren't missing an opportunity to tease or paw each other as they continued on, either. And watching them, Hank had started to become concerned for their well being, so … he sent Bobby to the lab having decided it was high time for a breathalyzer. He was  _sure_ K was further gone than she appeared. He just needed to know how bad she really was.

Bobby returned with two machines, designating Jean and Scott to administer them to both of them at the same time. But when the Summers showed him the numbers, Hank was shocked at the results. K's blood alcohol level was  _significantly_ higher than Logan's. He'd assumed it would be. She was simply much smaller than him all together – even discounting the adamantium they both carried, he easily outweighed her by fifty pounds or better.

"No more alcohol until we've done a sobriety test – which you both are going to fail miserably," Hank informed them. There was no way the little time needed to administer the test was going to lessen the effects of what they'd done to themselves, though it was still highly entertaining for their friends.

Rogue tested Logan and Gambit set up to test K. And as expected, Logan dutifully bombed the test. His balance was shot, his words were slurred, and he  _looked_  drunk as he struggled to stay upright. So when Gambit told K what to do and she smirked at him, shaking her head no, he couldn't help but break down laughing. "You gotta do it,  _chere_. He gonna win otherwise. Jes imagine Remy a cop and you gotta get outta bein' arrested. You drunk,  _petit_. You gotta do de test," he told her. "You gotta or he gon' win outright. You don' wanna do that do you?"

"Oh tha's easy," K slurred before she mimed opening her flannel shirt to flash him. "See? No han-cuffs needed, ossifer swamprat. Bu-ut, since yer not a  _real_ cop, you don' get a real peek. See?" she replied cheerfully before turning away from a hysterically laughing Remy and staggering up to Sean, who was red faced and reluctant to pour another drop for her.

"Add impaired judgment to K's list of drunkenness," Sean called out.

" _Lies_ , you biased lil' leprechaun," K said, reaching out to shove Sean's shoulder. "That was smart. I coulda' just flashed him for  _real_."

"She got a point,  _homme._ Dat much is true," Remy laughed, tears at the corners of his eyes as Sean fell apart laughing with him.

It was close. By the science, K was well beyond three sheets to the wind, but she was holding it together by the skin of her teeth. By Hank's estimation, she should be passed out cold. He was sure she was going to pass out, and thus lose. And then … Logan tripped over his own feet, but caught himself at the same moment when K tripped outright, falling on her backside. On hitting the ground, she burst out laughing, even as Logan dropped down next to her, laughing just as hard as she was when he realized she hadn't spilled her drink in her hand.

"Oh, darlin', you're wasted," Logan drawled out as Sean tried to take the shot back from her. The contest was over, after all.

"Look who's talkin'. C'mere," K replied before she threw back the last shot and he kissed half the whiskey out of her mouth. Things devolved from there, and the two of them were in a deeply amorous drunken stupor as they ignored their friends around them, diving straight into the heavy petting.

"We have to stop them or they're gonna get started right here on the lawn," Jean said to Hank.

He nodded, and decided that the best course of action was to turn off the collars. Of course, K didn't notice until she was suddenly not  _nearly_ so bombed. "Hey! Turn that back on – I haven't had a buzz this good in … EVER!" K shouted out as Logan nodded along with her.

"It's just one night. C'mon, blue – let me take my drunk wife to bed while she's still wasted. I wanna take advantage," Logan grinned, with K nodding along in agreement.

"Yeah, I wanna take advantage," K said.

"Fine. But no more alcohol," Hank told them.

K bit her lip as he turned his back to them. "How bout two more?" She called out to him, holding up three fingers.

"No, go to your room now or I'll turn them off permanently."

K stuck her tongue out at him while Sean all but picked her up off the ground. Logan grinned and K was snickering while Sean handed her off to Logan and the two of them leaned on each other. The two of them were still drunk enough to make walking something to concentrate on.

When they got to their room, Scott made a quick sweep of the place even as the two of them started up their make out session - though he was really just tryng to make sure they didn't have any hidden booze. The last thing he needed was for one of those two to end up with alcohol poisoning. When Scott found Logan's stash, K gave him a dirty look "Don't be a spoil sport," she called out.

"I'm just trying to keep you two  _alive,_ " Scott said, shaking his head as he left, though as soon as the doors closed, Logan wasted no time in taking her off her feet.

* * *

The couple was awakened the next morning by Jean drawing back the curtains, letting the late morning sun pour in on them. Both were sporting the mother of all hangovers – totally unaccustomed to having to process alcohol that  _slowly_.

"So, who won?" Logan asked, one eye cracked open as he rubbed the back of his neck.

But Jean just laughed at the question. "You don't remember?" she asked, highly amused.

He shook his head, as did K when Jean looked at her, too. "Oh,  _that's priceless,_ " she replied, leaving them staring after her as she left.

"You gonna tell me?" Logan asked to Jean's retreating back.

"No. Because what you two were betting on? Should not be determined by a drinking contest," Jean said. "Oh, and all the money's been exchanged. I've told everyone to  _not_ tell you who won."

The door closed behind her loudly, and the two ferals shared a very grumpy look. "What a bitch," K muttered as she pulled the covers up, which at least got Logan laughing.

"Still got the collars on. Hair of the dog?" he asked.

K smiled up at him sleepily. "I'm pretty sure they took all our booze."

"Do you remember anything?" Logan asked as he pulled her closer with a contented sort of sigh. She bit her bottom lip as she wracked her brain, finally shaking her head slowly.

"I remember a lot of whiskey, and smack talk. From you," she replied. "And I  _may_  have flashed Remy."

He laughed hard as he pulled her leg over his hip, kissing her again. "I think you imagined that."

"I dunno," K said ."I flashed someone…"

* * *

Several hours later, with the collars removed, and both of the Howletts were re-hydrated, Logan sought out his wife. She was reading to their little ones as they laid on the bed, snuggled up with teddy bears, sleepily listening to the end of the story. Logan walked up to K with his hands shoved into his front pockets and leaned against the wall until the story was finished and all three of their little ones falling asleep as she closed the book. When it was clear they were asleep, K grinned up at him with a half grimace and slipped out from under Rose. As soon as sh was on her feet, Logan leaned toward her and kissed her cheek.

"As much as I hate to admit it – you won," he said at just over a whisper.

For a moment, K smiled, but it didn't last long as she narrowed her eyes and watched him for a long moment. All while he was doing his level best to look irritated at 'losing'.

"You've never done that before," K said very quietly.

"What?"

"Lied to me," she replied.

Logan drew in a breath and held it, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but then instead, he leaned forward and kissed her for a good, long time.

"Yeah," he answered when the kiss met its natural end. "But I don't want you doin' anything you're not ready for, and I sure as hell don't want to push ya into anything."

With a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she slid her hands into his sideburns and pulled him closer, breathless as she kissed the sense out of him. "This is why it's  _hard_ for me to argue that I love you more. Things like this," K said with a small smile she absolutely couldn't rein back. "And it's things like  _that ..._ that prove to me you're right. If you really want another one, just tell me when."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for this volume, guys - thanks for reading and reviewing … please keep your eyes open for the next volume in this series - as well as the many shared worlds I'm working up with robbiepoo2341, who was the inspiration for the full clear editing jag I went on in this universe.


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